St. Michael's Church

St. Michael's Church

St. Michael's Church is located at No. 24 Haishan Hutong, Longsha District, Qiqihar City. Buses such as Routes 9 and 101 can take you directly to the church. It is an architectural and cultural scenic tourism site.

The Catholic St. Michael's Church is a main structure among Heilongjiang’s Catholic churches. Construction began in the 19th year of the Republic of China (1930) and was completed and opened at the end of the 20th year (1931). It was built under the direction of Bishop Ingooff, a Swiss national and then Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Heilongjiang, with funding donated by Swiss parishioners. The church foundation and framework are made of reinforced concrete, covering a floor area of 1,250 square meters. The main tower stands 43 meters tall, topped with a 1.75-meter-high cross. Below the cross is the bell tower, which houses five bronze alloy bells imported from Germany— one large and four small. The large bell is over 1 meter in both height and diameter, weighing more than 1,000 kilograms. Each small bell is 0.30 meters in height and diameter, weighing over 100 kilograms each. The copper bells chimed three times daily, playing a musical scale of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and their sound could be heard several kilometers away. The bells have since been lost.

The bell tower is surrounded by long cross-shaped windows fitted with colorful thick-patterned glass imported from Germany. The ground floor of the church serves as the main hall (worship hall), with an altar at the northern end and walls adorned with murals depicting Catholic legends. To the north of the church is the Bishop’s Residence of the Cathedral, a two-story yellow building with a floor area of 360 square meters, serving as the office and residence for the bishop and auxiliary bishop.

Location: No. 24 Haishan Hutong, Longsha District, Qiqihar City, Heilongjiang Province

Transportation: Take bus routes 9, 101, or others in Qiqihar City and get off at Zhonghuan Plaza Station. The church is a 250-meter walk from there.