Kon Tum Wooden Church, also known as Kon Tum Cathedral, is located in the center of Kon Tum city and is considered one of the most unique architectural works in the Central Highlands. Built in the early 20th century, the church has become a symbol not only of the Catholic community but also of the entire Kon Tum region, bearing the cultural imprint and architectural style of the Central Highlands.

Construction began in 1913 and was completed in 1918. Kon Tum Wooden Church was the work of French priest Joseph Décrouille, who painstakingly researched to combine Western architecture with the characteristics of the Ba Na stilt houses. The entire structure is made of ca chit wood, a rare wood of the Central Highlands, famous for its durability and natural beauty. The church structure does not use nails at all; instead, the wooden parts are skillfully connected through traditional wood mortise and tenon techniques, creating a solid structure.

Panoramic view of the church from above. Photo: Collected

From the outside, the church appears majestic, wearing the warm color of wood, standing out against the green background of Kon Tum mountains and forests. The 4-storey bell tower soars into the sky, with Gothic architecture but harmoniously combined with the typical communal house roof of the Central Highlands. The architectural lines skillfully combine the classical Roman style and indigenous architecture to create a poetic beauty, both delicate and close to the landscape and culture of the highlands.

Inside the church is a large and airy space, where rows of wooden columns over 12 meters high support a long and soaring dome, opening up a sacred and peaceful space. Natural light from stained glass windows crafted in the Western vitrail art, shines inside, creating a sparkling, brilliant space with biblical images and the lives of the Central Highlands people. In particular, the large stained glass painting placed right above the main door brings vivid images of indigenous culture, recreating scenes of villages, communal houses, and wild natural scenery through natural light, bringing a peaceful but profound feeling.

Kon Tum wooden church bell tower. Photo: Collected

Kon Tum Wooden Church is a place for parishioners to worship and is also a cultural exchange point, attracting a large number of tourists and researchers. Every year, on major holidays such as Christmas or Easter, this place becomes the center of religious and cultural activities, attracting both locals and tourists from all over to admire, pray, and feel the sacred space imbued with the identity of the Central Highlands. In particular, handicrafts from highland villages are also sold at the church, contributing to introducing and maintaining the unique folk culture of the ethnic groups in the Central Highlands.

The sanctuary is designed splendidly and solemnly. Photo: Collected

Overcoming time and the challenges of nature, Kon Tum Wooden Church still stands firm, as a historical witness of the Central Highlands. Over the past 100 years, the church has continuously attracted the attention of those who love architecture, culture and religion. Becoming an indispensable part of community life, Kon Tum Wooden Church is both a place to preserve cultural values ​​and a symbol of the connection between religion and life, between Western culture and indigenous culture.

Kon Tum Wooden Church is not only a religious building but also the pride of Kon Tum people, a priceless asset of the Central Highlands. Through the harmonious combination of Western architectural art and Central Highlands identity, this building has become a living symbol of culture, an endless source of inspiration for generations who love Vietnamese contemporary architecture and art.

Hoang Anh