St. Ignatius Cathedral

St. Ignatius Cathedral

St. Ignatius Cathedral is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a Shanghai Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

St. Ignatius Cathedral is located at No. 156 Pu Xi Road, Xuhui District, and serves as the headquarters of the Shanghai Catholic Patriotic Association. Originally built in the 31st year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1905) and completed in the 2nd year of the Xuantong reign (1910), it was renovated in 1980. The structure features medieval Gothic architecture, with a long cruciform layout facing east, and bell towers rising high on both sides.

St. Ignatius Cathedral was the first Catholic church built in Shanghai after the Opium Wars. In the late 19th century, the area near Xu Guangqi’s tomb was the center of Catholicism in Shanghai. In 1906, the church began constructing a new building, which was completed in 1910 and later became known as St. Ignatius Cathedral — China’s first church built entirely in Western architectural style. It stands 79 meters tall, 28 meters wide, and 44 meters wide at the main altar. The interior includes 64 stone pillars carved from Jinshan granite sourced from Suzhou, each composed of 10 smaller columns. The floor is paved with square bricks, while the central aisle is covered with floral ceramic tiles. The doors and windows feature Gothic pointed arches inlaid with stained glass forming patterns and religious figures. There are 19 altars, with the central large altar brought from Paris on Easter in 1919, holding significant religious artistic value. The cathedral can accommodate 2,500 people for Mass simultaneously. Its exterior is a classic example of European medieval Gothic style, featuring a double spire brick structure. The ridge of the roof is 18 meters high, the bell towers reach approximately 60 meters, and the spires rise 31 meters, with two crosses atop them piercing the sky. There is also a cross on the main body of the church, resembling the shape of an infinity symbol — life is like riding the infinity, a fitting metaphor. At the center of the façade is a circular bas-relief, intricate and ornate, resembling the face of a Roman clock when viewed from afar. The external structure is made entirely of red bricks, with the roof covered in graphite tiles and adorned with many stone carvings of cherubs and the Lord, exuding purity and serenity.

In May 2013, the State Council (State Council Document [2013] No. 13) designated St. Ignatius Cathedral as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Suggested Visit Duration

20 minutes

Transportation

Located on Pu Xi Road in Xuhui District, accessible by subway or bus

1. Take Metro Lines 1, 9, or 11 to “Xujiahui” Station, and exit from Exit 3 (Caoxi North Road & Pu Xi Road) to arrive directly

2. Take buses such as Routes 42, 43, 44, 50, 167, 171, 198, 303, 320, 548, 712, 732, 816, 824, 830, 836, or 855 to “Xujiahui” Station, then walk about 300 meters south along Caoxi North Road; or take Routes 205 or 920 to “Nandan Road & Caoxi North Road” Station, then walk about 250 meters north along Caoxi North Road

Admission

Free, but admission tickets are required

Opening Hours

Open to non-Catholics: Saturdays 13:00–16:00, Sundays 14:00–16:00, with volunteer-led tours available every 30 minutes

Location

No. 158 Pu Xi Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units