The Church of Shishi Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral

Facts of the Church of Shishi Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral

Chinese Name: 石室圣心大教堂 Pronunciation: Shíshì shèngxīn dàjiàotáng

Tickets: Free 

Best Visiting Time: All year

Recommended Time for Visit: 1 Hour

Building Time: 1863 

Occupied Area: 2,754 square meters

Address: No.56 Yide Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China

Service Time

• Tips:

1. The church is temporarily open to Christians.

2. To enter the church, you need to collect the ticket on the spot.

Facts about the Church of Shishi Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral

Unique Ceiling

The Church of Shishi Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral is the most magnificent and characteristic cathedral in the Catholic Diocese of Guangzhou. It was designed by French designers and built by Chinese craftsmen.
 

With a total area of 2,754 square meters, 35 meters wide from east to west, 78.69 meters long from north to south, 58.5 meters high from the ground to the spire, the church in 1861 cost 400,000 francs to establish, comparable to the world-famous Notre Dame de Paris in France.
 

It covers an area of more than 6,000 square meters, in addition to hospitals, seminaries, primary and secondary schools, and other premises. But now there is only the church, the Bishop’s House, and the Yiduo Church.
 

It is the largest church in the Catholic Diocese of Guangzhou, one of the most magnificent twin-spired Gothic buildings in China, and one of the four all-stone Gothic churches in the world. 
 

It was once called Stone Chamber, Stone Chamber Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, or Stone Chamber Catholic Church. The names are associated with that wall and columns of the church. Because they are built of granite rock, they have the above names.

Design Features of the Church

The Gothic style of architecture contrasts sharply with the surrounding buildings and makes the church more distinctive.
 

Night Scene

In the front of the church are a pair of tall stone spires, symbolizing the ascension to heaven and the return to God. From the appearance, the stone pillars of the stone chamber seem to be different from the ordinary beam pillars. Each stone pillar here is made of a whole block of granite, the stone surface is closely seamed, and the stones are bonded with tung oil and glutinous rice slurry.
 

The front facade and the east and west side facades of the church each have a circular rose window with a diameter of nearly 7 meters. All doors and windows are made in France with deep red, yellow, blue, green, and nother colorful glass mosaic. In this way, outdoor strong light can be avoided, indoor light can always be kept soft, and a kind and solemn religious atmosphere can be formed. This is one of the characteristics of Gothic churches.
 

In this Gothic building, there are also many Chinese elements. The construction of the entire church made use of Chinese indigenous methods: glutinous rice, tung oil instead of cement, both waterproof and strong. The dome stones were also pierced with iron branches through double holes cut in the middle. The water outlet on the top of the church has also been changed into a Chinese lion shape, and the floor has also been changed from the original design of stone to Guangdong step brick, so that the moisture resistance is better. And the door has been carved with Cantonese wood carvings.

What to Do in the Church 

If you are a devout Christian, you can not only visit outside the church but also participate in Sunday Mass.
Tips: Sunday Mass Time

• Warm Tips

1. No vehicles can park in the church on normal open days.

2. Wear a mask in the church.

3. Enter with tickets and valid identity documents.

4. Check your temperature and scan the health QR code.

5. Keep a distance, sit at intervals, and obey the arrangement of the staff of the etiquette group.

6. Do not shake hands during the mutual aid ceremony.

Transportation

 By Bus

Take 4, 8, 61, 82, 86, 238, 823, Y16, Y33, Y6 and get off at Yidezhonglu Station, and walk about 100 meters.

 By Subway
Take Metro Line 2 and get off at Haizhu Guangchang Station and Exit B2 and walk about 600 meters.

Take Metro Line 6 and get off at Yidelu Station and Exit A and walk about 500 meters.

 By Taxi

Chinese: 请带我去石室圣心大教堂。English: Please take me to the Church of Shishi Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral.

If you go to the Church of Shishi Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral from the center of Guangzhou (LN Garden Hotel), it takes about 20 minutes (about 25 yuan).

If you go to the Church of Shishi Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, it takes about 60 minutes (about 100 yuan).

If you go to the Church of Shishi Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral from Guangzhou Nan Railway Station, it takes about 50 minutes (about 60 yuan).

If you go to the Church of Shishi Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral from Guangzhou Bei Railway Station, it takes about 70 minutes (about 110 yuan).

If you go to the Church of Shishi Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral from Guangzhou Railway Station, it takes about 15 minutes (about 20 yuan).

The Church of Shishi Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral

authorName23242: Mengwei Wang

Date: 15/04/2022

Email: info@chinatourstar.com

Do you like it? 0