Attraction · Shanghai Xujiahui Cathedral (St. Ignatius Cathedral)

Xujiahui Cathedral (St. Ignatius Cathedral)

Formally named St. Ignatius Cathedral; its foundation stone was laid in 1906 and it was completed in 1910—a French Gothic red-brick cathedral with twin towers over 50 meters tall, known as the 'largest cathedral in the Far East'

Visitor info

Opening hours
09:00-16:00 (opens from Wednesday)
Ticket
Free (during opening hours only)

Price is indicative — final quote on inquiry.

Formally named St. Ignatius Cathedral; its foundation stone was laid in 1906 and it was completed in 1910—a French Gothic red-brick cathedral with twin towers over 50 meters tall, known as the 'largest cathedral in the Far East'. Inside, the pointed-arch vaults are lofty and airy, with the rose windows and the stained glass around the altar as highlights. Xujiahui takes its name from Xu Guangqi, the Ming-dynasty scientist (his tomb and former residence are here), and in modern times became the center of Catholic missions in Jiangnan: the adjacent Xujiahui Library (1847), Xujiahui Observatory (1872) and the cluster of schools form a landmark ensemble of Sino-Western cultural exchange. The cathedral is free to visit only during opening hours; tourists may not enter during Mass.

Getting there: Metro Line 1/9/11, Xujiahui Station

Photos

Xujiahui Cathedral (St. Ignatius Cathedral) — photo 2Xujiahui Cathedral (St. Ignatius Cathedral) — photo 3Xujiahui Cathedral (St. Ignatius Cathedral) — photo 4

More in Shanghai

  • Yu Garden

    Ming dynasty rockeries, pavilions and the zigzag bridge of City God Temple area.

  • Shanghai Tower

    China's tallest building; observation deck on the 118th floor.

  • Zhujiajiao Water Town

    17-bridge canal town 45 km from downtown; gondolas under Ming bridges.

  • The Bund

    Colonial riverfront facing Pudong's sci-fi skyline; walk it at dusk both ways.

  • The Bund

    Shanghai's calling card and a microcosm of its modern history: a 1.5 km riverside stretch on the west bank of the Huangpu River, running north from Waibaidu Bridge (Garden Bridge) to Yan'an East Road, is lined with 52 historic buildings in Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco and other styles, collectively known as the "World Architecture Exhibition"

  • Lujiazui 'Big Three' Viewing

    The heart of Pudong's financial-district skyline: Shanghai Tower, at 632 m China's tallest building, rises in a twisting spiral form that reduces wind load; its 546 m "Top of Shanghai" observatory ranks among the world's highest, and on floor 125 you can see the thousand-ton damper nicknamed the "magic needle that steadies the building"