The Kantuan Catholic Church

The Kantuan Catholic Church

The Kantuan Catholic Church is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Anhui Province.

The Kantuan Catholic Church was first built in the first year of the Republic of China (1912). It features a raised ridge roof, stands about 12 meters tall, and is constructed of brick and wood, covering an area of 470 square meters. The church faces east and sits to the west, with a main façade featuring three bays. The overall architectural style blends Chinese and Western elements. It consists of three parts: the main hall, the pulpit, and a small rear building. The main hall is uniquely designed with a traditional Chinese post-and-lintel structure combined with a cable-stayed style, while the pulpit and the small rear building feature Italian Gothic architectural styles. To the south of the church stands a two-story priest’s building, also made of brick and wood, covering an area of 180 square meters.

Architectural complexes of this scale are relatively rare in northern Anhui. The church retains Italian Western architectural features while also incorporating Chinese architectural elements, making it an organic fusion of Chinese and Western cultures. From the interior structure, it showcases both ancient Chinese post-and-lintel construction and modern cable-stayed design. It holds significant value for research and cultural preservation.

Protected area: within a 5-meter radius around the church and the southern small building.

Construction control zone: within a 10-meter radius outside the protected area.

Address: Inside the campus of the middle school in Kantuan Town, Lixin County, Anhui

Kantuan Town: Kantuan Town is a designated town located 18 kilometers southeast of the county seat, on the sunny side of the Xi Fei River and south bank of the new Cihui River. The Lifen and Liying highways run through it, making it a major route from Lixin to Huainan and Hefei. The middle section of the new Cihui River flows through Kantuan, where hub engineering facilities—including locks and stations—stand tall and connect in succession. These structures rise from the ground, controlling water and land traffic, managing floods and droughts, and forming one of the grand sights of Kantuan. Climbing up to the lock and looking out over the new river, one sees green embankments and blue waters blending seamlessly, sailboats drifting by, and ripples dancing across the surface. At night, the sparkling lights and fishing boats create a serene scene, making it a wonderful destination for sightseeing. Kantuan is also widely known for its monkey performances. Every late autumn, hundreds of... More detailed information about Kantuan Town ++