Located in Gia Van Commune under the Phat Diem Diocese, the church stands on a 14,200-square-metre site. It measures 94 metres in length and 40 metres in width, with nearly 4,000 square metres of floor space.
A parishioner said the previous church, built in 1993, had only about 1,000 seats and could no longer accommodate the growing community. Ground clearance began in 2014 and the cornerstone was laid on January 14, 2015. The old church has been retained.
It can accomodate up to 5,000 worshippers, a record among Catholic churches in the country.
The bell-tower foundation was reinforced with 1.6-metre drilled piles sunk 40-50 metres into bedrock to support the massive structure. The main tower reaches around 110 metres, including the cross, placing it among the tallest in Vietnam.
Beneath the sanctuary lies a 1,000-square-metre underground hall, 15 metres deep, consisting of one large room and three smaller rooms, able to host 700-800 people for community activities.
The sanctuary interior is entirely crafted from wood and finished with gold lacquer, with intricate Catholic motifs carved throughout like works of art.
A giant artificial grotto on the church grounds has also been decorated ahead of the Christmas season.
Lang Van Church is expected to become a major new attraction for parishioners and visitors to Ninh Binh.
