Loading...Situated on the southwest edge of Gazipur district, along the banks of the Balua and Shitalakshya rivers, is the historic Saint Nicholas Church, a Christian place of worship. It is one of the largest Christian missionary sites in Bangladesh.
According to inscriptions on the church’s walls, it was initially constructed around 1663. However, the current structure, which appears much newer, is dated 1888. Upon seeing the church today, many visitors may be amazed at how such a beautiful, modern-style church could be among Bangladesh’s oldest churches.
The architectural plan of the church includes several important features. Notably, it has a veranda-style entrance, a prayer hall, an altar, and a dedicated space for private prayers. Instead of a traditional narthex, the church was designed with a flat-roofed veranda supported by four strong pillars, resembling the style of traditional Bengali houses. This fusion of European religious architecture with local influences is likely due to the limited availability of skilled European craftsmen and the influence of local builders.
The entrance space, or the front veranda, features three doors leading into a hall, supported by twelve iron columns, reminiscent of a railway track. These columns support a ceiling that divides the hall into aisles and a nave, much like the Tazgaon Church. The entrance is highlighted by six octagonal, semi-gothic pillars supporting the roof and three semi-circular doorways. The design of the narthex here is quite different from traditional European churches, reflecting a fusion of local and foreign styles. The layout also includes a large hall, divided into aisles and a nave by the columns, with a prayer room at one end connected to the altar through a narrow arched passage.
The church also has four main entrances. Three of these lead into the main hall from the northern veranda, and the fourth, leading into the prayer room, is located on the southern side. In addition to these, there are twelve open windows, six on each of the east and west sides, ensuring ample ventilation to suit the warm, humid climate of Bangladesh.
The church’s façade is adorned with beautiful decorations. The porch uses four octagonal pillars, and the three semi-circular arches at the entrance are beautifully ornamented. Above the arches, a cross and bell are embedded in a gothic-style arch. The decorative elements extend to the spandrels of the arched entrances and windows. There is also a canopy-like kiosk on the parapet of the structure, and a grotto is situated at the northwestern corner of the church.
Historically, this church is significant as it was the site where the first Bible in the regional Bengali language was translated. It also marks the publication of the first bilingual dictionary in Bengali and the first printed prose book in Bengali.
How to Get There
To visit Saint Nicholas Church, take a bus from Dhaka to Tongi, and then another bus or CNG to Kaliganj. After crossing the Ahsanullah Master Bridge in Tongi, get off at Nalchata Bridge. The church is about two kilometers away from there.
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