Mang Lang Church
A gothic church of 1892 in Phu Yen holding the first book ever printed in the Vietnamese alphabet.
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Mang Lang was built between 1892 and 1907 by a French priest in a gothic manner with two square towers, and it is among the oldest churches in central Vietnam. What it holds is the reason to come: a copy of the Catechismus of Alexandre de Rhodes, printed in Rome in 1651, which is the first book printed in quoc ngu - the romanised Vietnamese script that replaced Chinese characters and is the writing everyone in Vietnam uses today. It is displayed in a small museum built into an artificial cave in the churchyard, together with material on Andrew of Phu Yen, martyred in 1644.
What you actually see
- A gothic church of 1892 - among the oldest in central Vietnam.
- The Catechismus of 1651 - the first book printed in the Vietnamese alphabet.
- A museum in an artificial cave - in the churchyard.
- Andrew of Phu Yen - the local martyr of 1644.
When to go
Year round. An hour.
Honest expectations
The book is displayed in a small and modest museum. The church is a working parish and services take precedence. Interpretation is largely in Vietnamese. It is a short stop off national road 1.
Nearby
Ganh Da Dia is north along the coast; O Loan lagoon is close.
What to pack for Mang Lang Church
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
