Sacred Heart Cathedral

Located on Yide Road, Sacred Heart Cathedral is the most magnificent and distinctive Catholic cathedral in Guangzhou. It covers a total area of 2,754 square meters, 35 meters wide from east to west, 78.69 meters long from north to south, and 58.5 meters high from the ground to the spire. It is one of the four great Gothic stone Cathedral architectures in the world (the other three are Notre Dame de Paris, Westminster Cathedral, and Cologne Cathedral). As the majority of the materials of wall and pillar construction are granite stone, so it was called the stone house.

After the outbreak of the Second Opium War in 1856, Anglo-French allied troops took power in Guangzhou and ruined the Viceroy of Guangdong and Guangxi Governor of Liangguang. While the cleric Ming Jizhang took the advantage and occupied the place to build the church and got funds support from Emperor Napoleon III. Sacred Heart Cathedral started to build in 1861 and held Found Ceremony in 1863, buried carved stones on the west and east parts to represent Catholicism born in Jerusalem and develop in Rome. Designed by architects Vonutrin and Humbert, the whole church was imitated from St. Clotilde Cathedral in Paris. It was completed until 1888.

The cross-shaped church has three floors. The ground floor has three pointed arch doors with seven deep graved lines into the door which has a strong perspective effect when travelers looking into it. Beautiful and colorful round rose windows decorated on the front, east and west sides, used by dark red, dark blue, purple and yellow glasses, covered stone carving from outside, thus it looks like a blooming rose. On the glass, it painted famous Bible stories, worth a visit! Two octagonal steep towers can easily be noticed on the top, installed four copper clocks imported from France on each side of the church. Copper clock named by Blessed Virgin Mary hanging on the east and three Roman letter clocks were placed on the other sides.

When entering inside, the pillars in the hall divided it into two parts, atrium and corridor, with pointed ridges on the ceiling, which make the church more solemn and grand. The carefully carved stone inside and elegant chandelier, remind people of getting to Europe!

While you will surprisingly discover Chinese elements in the church. For example, the water outlet on the roof was decorated by the shape of a lion, and the ground paved with Guangdong brick for dame proof, even the door was decorated with traditional Cantonese woodcarving! 

Opening Time: 8:00-17:30

If you are a disciple, don't miss the Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral.