Stone Church of Sapa

Coming to Sapa, tourists are attracted not only by the clear beauty of the mountains, hills and waterfalls, but also by the attractive ancient architecture of the stone church. This is really an interesting destination that you should not ignore when reaching to Sapa in Sapa tour from Hanoi.

Sapa Stone Church

The ancient church is known as stone church or the Holy Rosary church which is located in the heart of Sapa town built by the French from the early 20th century. Before starting to build this structure, the French architect selected carefully about the terrain. The shape and architecture of the church was built by cross. This architecture presented in the roof, bell tower… which created the elegant church.

Sapa stone church 

Inside Sapa Stone Church

The whole church was built by stone (walls, floors, bell towers …) that are linked by a mixture of sand, lime and molasses. With total area over 6000m2, Sapa church has enough rooms for the arrangement of the area.

The church of Sapa is always a place where holds many traditional cultural activities of ethnic minorities. In the front of the church is tennis area which has unique cultural activities of local people on Saturday. With flute, trumpet leaves, “xòe” dance… created sparkling, magical atmosphere in Sapa.

Additionally, because the structure was designed early, the church of Sapa experienced many events of history. Since its establishment, the church always has priests in order to offer parishioners. However, many years later, due to the presence of Japanese troops, the activities of the Church have stalled. In later years, the war makes almost activities to suspend. After that, the church became the repository of rice.

Sapa Stone Church is a main site for holding many cultural traditional activities of the ethnic people

Nowadays, Sapa Stone Church is not only a religious destination of most of parishioners here as well as domestic and foreign tourists, but also a main site for holding many cultural traditional activities of the ethnic people here. In every Saturday evening, people usually organize a popular unique cultural activity often called “the love market”. In the quiet atmosphere of the evening in the highland, the sounds of the traditional instruments of the ethnic people such as flute, trumpet, lip lute, pan flute mix with the featured dances of the ethnic girls and guys. Especially, at Christmas, most parishioners also gather here to celebrate, pray, sing and dance. In addition, they also celebrate many interesting games and activities featuring the culture of the ethnic minority people.

Inside Sapa stone church

The daily activities of local people around Sapa Stone Church

Sapa stone church is an ideal place for local people to do business and organize the traditional activities. The front yard of Sapa stone church is where ethnic people gather together to sell and exchange the goods as well as where ethnic girls and boys come to have a date and broaden their relationships everyday. On every Saturday night, there is a fair called “Love market” taking place near Sapa stone church, this fair is very special because exchanging the goods is not the main purpose, it is the chance for local people finding their perfect half, it is also a long-standing characteristic of ethnic minorities that tourists feel interested.

Quick tips for tourists

This is the wonderful place for:

• Photograph addicts

• See H’mong love market at every Saturday night

• Enjoy street food

• Listen the H’mong traditional music

Tourists should:

• Do not give money, candy or buy things for children

• Do not put camera close to the local faces to take photos

• From May to October is the best time to visit

If you get a chance to visit Sapa, don’t forget to look in the Stone Church, a spiritual, religious and cultural destination of Sapa Town in particular and of the northwest in general. The ancient beauty combined with the misty scenery of Sapa Town will pull back your footstep and bring you an indescribable feeling when leaving here. Don’t forget to join Sapa group tours with us if you are willing to experience this!!