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Guangzhou Sacred Heart Cathedral

Introducing Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sacred Heart Cathedral Guide, Sacred Heart Cathedral Travel Guide.
Article from Guangzhou Municipal Commission of Tourism

Sacred Heart Cathedral has a history of over 130 years, and is the most magnificent and distinctive cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Guangzhou. Sacred Heart Cathedral started construction in 1863 and was completed in 1888, taking 25 years to complete. It was named "Siaksat Cathedral ", "the Siaksat Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus", or "Siaksat Sacred Heart Cathedral", for all of its walls and pillars were made of granite.

The Sacred Heart Cathedral is located at Yide Lu, Yuexiu District. Sacred Heart Cathedral is the largest cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Guangzhou, the largest existing stone architecture of twin-pinnacle Gothic style in China, the largest stone Catholic architecture in Southeast Asia, and one the world's four whole-stone Gothic-style church architectures, which can rival the world famous Notre Dame de Paris, France.

The Sacred Heart Cathedral is based on a French cathedral design made of the granite produced in Guangdong and the colored casement windows from France. Sacred Heart Cathedral was the first under the command of a French designer for construction and then taken over by Cai Xiao, the headman of Jiexi stonemasons as the project did not go smoothly. Many Chinese elements then were added to the project, including the Cantonese rilievo and patterns on screens, the Chinese lionhead sculpts on sinkholes, etc. This made the Cathedral a unique statement of both the Gothic style of the European Renaissance and that of Chinese traditional architectural touches of that period.

The construction was so difficult that Sacred Heart Cathedral took 25 years and 500,000 francs to complete the 2754-square-meter cathedral. In 1888, the Sacred Heart Cathedral won the good fame of being the "Notre Dame de Paris in the Far East" and was officially completed in that year.. However, the granite cathedral did not stand up to the destruction of wars and disturbances. In 1938 and 1939, the Japanese forces and Kuomintang's Army bombed Guangzhou, burning down several cathedral facilities.

After the reform and opening up, the State, Guangdong Provincial Government and Guangzhou Municipal Government appropriated funds one after another to maintain it. In 1996, Sacred Heart Cathedral was enlisted as the National Key Historical and Cultural Heritage Protection Unit.

Quick Facts on Sacred Heart Cathedral

• Name: Sacred Heart Cathedral
• Location: Downtown Guangzhou
• Phone: +86-20-81078200
• Dates: Built in 1888
• Best Time to Visit: April to December
• Recommended Time for a Visit: 1 Hour
• Opening Hours: 08:00-17:30
• Admission Fee: Free