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Kontum Cathedral is an old and nice in Central Highlands of Vietnam. Kontum Cathedral is made of precious wood, exists to this day. Someone passing admires and praises the ingenuity of those who built it. It is considered as one of many worth tourist destinations in the Central Highlands to visit.
We may briefly present the Kontum Cathedral, as it marks the 105th anniversary of the commencement of the construction (1913-2018) and the 100th anniversary of the inauguration (1918-2018) The Church of Kontum has a 170-year history (1848-2018).
1. Location
The distance from Hue city to the Kontum cathedral is about 376 km, 7 h 45 by car, via QL14, and from Nha Trang Cathedral about 342 km, 7h35′ by car.
Address: 13 Nguyen Hue, Thong Nhat Ward, Kontum City, Kontum Province
2. The name of Kontum Cathedral
Kontum Cathedral today has many different names and titles through the following stages:
The period when the building began (1913): The church was called Kontum village church, shortly called Kontum Church. In 1932, when the Kontum mission area separated from the Qui Nhon diocese and was elevated to the Kontum Apostolic See, the church was named Kontum Cathedral. In 1990s, in the development of the tourism industry, people often called Kontum cathedral with the common name “Nha Tho Go”(Wooden Church), because construction materials are rare wood.
But whatever the name, Kontum Cathedral is the religious center of the entire diocese, where all the parishioners in the diocese gather together or in the religious life of the diocese.
3. The model of the Kontum Cathedral
In the early 1918 the church was inaugurated, church façade with 24 meter high tower. The Kontum church consists of 4 rows of columns running from the front to the dressing room: 2 rows of columns inside are big, creating a large space, high and cool; Two rows of columns outside, close to the wall, are two additional compartment with lower ceilings. The features of cathedral are old-fashioned, open with two tall tile roofs and two lower tile roofs. The floor of the church is 8 feet from the ground made of wood boards wide 20 centimetres wide, 5 centimetres thick, the floor of the sanctuary is 10 centimetres parquet in square shape looks very nice.
The Kontum Cathedral is high corresponds to its bell tower, its large doors, and windows are sculpted with great sophistication; many columns are appropriately arranged around the walls; No one can guess all the rest made of soil mixed with straw. Despite the wooden materials, the church still carries a gothic style, thanks to two rows of big wooden columns, 12m high soars that form arches, arcs, and small wooden columns supporting the glass windows above. As if the scene embraced all those who are in the heart of the church, they feel small in a colorful scene from the small windows on the roof, as if they saw the Invisible who present in the mysterious space, and are inviting them quietly to hear the voices from the depth whispering about the bliss.
Visitors can visit the Kontum wooden Cathedral at any time. If it’s in the flowering season, on the way to the church, you will see the pink, white color of the flowers to make the beauty of Kontum more splendid. If you come to at Christmas, you will meet thousands of lay people (from many ethnics) who come to church, they stay in the right vacant lot, maybe a week to attend the Mass. These are busy days of the church , full of life with bustling shopping. And in the market there are many handicraft products brought here from the villages for sale. And if you go to church on a regular day, you will meet the silence of a church. Two rows of seats in the church at this time are places for students to review the lesson.
