Chau Son Holy Mother Monastery

Holy Mother of Chau Son - Beautiful Mysterious Monastery in Ninh Binh

Chau Son Marian Monastery is located in Phu Son commune, Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province, more than 70km from Hanoi. The monastery is located peacefully in the middle of the green and rolling forest space.  Around only the sound of birds singing echoes and the rustling of leaves, adding to the mysterious and ancient look. 

The church was built between 1939 and 1945 in the style of French Gothic architecture with a soaring arched dome. So far the church has been 78 years old, but the lines and details are still preserved almost intact, only remodeling the red tile roof outside in 2014. The church is designed in the style of ancient European architecture, the outside is built of carpentry bricks without stucco to create a deep red color that stands out in the middle of the space.  The dome of the church is not made of reinforced cement but made from molasses, bagasse and bamboo woven together.

The sanctuary is a place of worship for Jesus as well as a place of prayer. The 21-meter-high white dome in the heart of the sanctuary is the most massive and magnificent structure in the monastery. Rows of corridors stretch with exquisitely carved columns. Fatima Prayer Garden is also a special highlight of the Monastery with a series of miniatures, holy statues, artificial stone egg fields and laterite wells...

In the middle of the Fatima prayer garden, an ancient well is still preserved. To get down to this place, you have to go through a tunnel built entirely of laterite. This is a sacred prayer area, which is not always open for visitors to visit. 

Despite the beautiful scenery, Chau Son Monastery is rarely open to visitors. Because this is a Catholic building for monastic activities and prayer, it will only be open at certain times. According to the rules of the monastery, weekends will have an opening time in the afternoon. In Lent (the season of passion for Catholics) it does not welcome visitors.