Xuzhou Sacred Heart of Jesus Church

Xuzhou Sacred Heart of Jesus Church

Xuzhou Sacred Heart of Jesus Church is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Jiangsu Province.

Xuzhou Sacred Heart of Jesus Church is located at No. 216 Qingnian East Road in downtown Xuzhou.

It was funded by French missionary Élie Lecoq in 1910 and designed and constructed under the direction of German priest and architect Joseph Wu. The church has a cruciform layout, measuring 25 meters in width from east to west and 52 meters in length from north to south, with a ridge height of 14.5 meters, and the soaring spire reaches 25 meters, covering a total area of 1,258 square meters. The church is built with blue bricks and stones, featuring a domed vault ceiling indoors and a traditional Chinese dougong-style double-eave roof structure. The main sections of the church include the front porch, nave, bell tower, music room, and vestry. At the southernmost end is the front porch, consisting of three circular arches, behind which on both sides stand the tall bell towers—three-story structures originally topped with blue tiles, featuring symmetrical and smooth lines in a unique style, now replaced with cement roofs. Between the two bell towers rises a tall spire serving as an architectural ornament, decorated with a niche in the center and topped with a towering cross. The southernmost part inside the church is the two-story music room, which provides access to the rooftop of the front porch and the interior of the bell towers. The main body of the church is the nave, measuring 24 meters in width from east to west and 50 meters in length from north to south, spacious, lofty, majestic, and magnificent. At the northern end of the nave is the altar, where various exquisite liturgical instruments are placed. The walls are adorned with images of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and other religious figures. At the far end of the church is the sanctuary, known as the "Holy of Holies," which serves as the place where the bishop changes vestments during Mass. The Sacred Heart of Jesus Church is well-designed, exquisitely constructed, and remains as solid as ever after a century of history. Its cruciform layout, arched vault structure, and thick brick-and-stone walls embody all the defining features of German Catholic church architecture.

In April 1995, Xuzhou Sacred Heart of Jesus Church was designated as part of the fourth batch of cultural heritage sites protected at the provincial level in Jiangsu Province.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected at the Provincial Level in Jiangsu Province