TPO - Not only attracting attention with its fairytale-like beauty, the over 100-year-old abandoned church in Thanh Loi commune, Vu Ban district, former Nam Dinh province (now Truong Thi ward, Ninh Binh province) also arouses curiosity because of the story of how it was struck by lightning twice but still stood firm.
Báo Tiền Phong•23/06/2026
The abandoned church is located on a plot of land larger than 1,000 m² managed by the family of Mr. Vu Dinh Dich (born in 1952), situated along the dike of the Dao River.
After years of abandonment, the church has taken on a melancholic and mysterious beauty.
The building features Gothic architecture with high vaulted ceilings and many elaborate decorative details.
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The old walls, covered in moss and overgrown with vines, evoke the image of a forgotten "fairy tale castle."
According to Mr. Dich's account, the land where his family lives used to be the grounds of a Catholic church. More than 100 years ago, when the French were spreading Christianity along the river, they stopped by the dike and chose this land to build a church. Over time, as the parishioners gradually moved elsewhere and the church became less crowded, it was abandoned.
Inside the bell tower, the marks of time are clearly visible on every section of the old brick walls.
The arched doorways are covered in moss, and vines creep through the cracks, creating a scene that is both desolate and mysterious.
Mr. Dich shared that he had heard from the elderly villagers that the church bell tower had been struck by lightning twice but had still stood strong over time.
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The photo shows a column near the top of the tower with broken bricks, a remnant of a lightning strike that once hit the structure. The mysterious beauty of this abandoned church piques the curiosity of many passersby, prompting them to stop and take photos.