Hongjialou Catholic Church

Hongjialou Catholic Church

Hongjialou Catholic Church is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The full name of Hongjialou Catholic Church is the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Hongjialou. It is commonly referred to as Honglou Church and is one of Jinan’s iconic buildings, as well as an important symbol of the city’s cultural heritage. The church is located in the eastern part of downtown Jinan, Shandong Province, on the north side of Honglou Square in Licheng District, adjacent to the old campus of Shandong University to the east. Named after Hongjialou Village, it is the largest Catholic church in Jinan and also the North China region, and one of China’s three most renowned Catholic churches. It holds an important place among modern religious architecture in China.

Date of Construction

The church is a double-towered Gothic structure. Its construction began in 1901 and was completed in 1905 (some sources state 1904 for Hongjialou Catholic Church). It is one of China’s three most famous Catholic churches. In 1906, the church was expanded. The entire building is majestic, solemn, and imposing, predominantly showcasing the Gothic architectural style of Europe from the 12th to the early 16th century. It closely resembles world-famous cathedrals such as Canterbury Cathedral, Notre-Dame de Paris, Chartres Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey. It is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

As a typical example of Gothic architecture, the church features a rational structure, extremely high construction quality, and exquisitely detailed craftsmanship. The entire building gives an impression of grandeur, elaborate decoration, and opulence, which also fully demonstrates that China’s outstanding traditional culture, techniques, and craftsmanship can be used to construct any building with complex structures and fine craftsmanship. Although Hongjialou Catholic Church is a relatively pure Western-style building, some details still reflect the influence of traditional Chinese elements. The roof of the main hall is covered with traditional Chinese black tiles. Additionally, two stone dragon heads are carved on the upper part of the stone walls on both sides of the central entrance of the church. The dragons’ mouths are wide open, their eyes fierce, and the carvings are vivid and exaggerated, clearly drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese folk culture.

Background of Construction

In 1870 (the ninth year of the Tongzhi reign in the Qing Dynasty), Father Gu Lijue purchased land in Hongjialou, in the eastern suburbs of Jinan, to build a church. In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion (Gengzi Incident), on June 27, Shandong Governor Yuan Shikai ordered foreign missionaries to take refuge in Yantai and Qingdao, while Chinese Catholics were gathered outside the city at Hongjialou Church “for protection.” On July 5, Li Zunian, the magistrate of Licheng County, led soldiers to seal off Hongjialou Catholic Church and disperse the Chinese Catholics gathered there. On July 6, the Boxers began to damage the Hongjialou Church and exhume the graves of missionaries. The magistrate of Licheng County sent troops to suppress the unrest upon hearing the news.

In 1902, after receiving compensation from the Boxer Indemnity, Dutch Franciscan Bishop Ephrem Giesen of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Shandong presided over the construction of a new cathedral in Hongjialou, which was completed in 1905. Designed by Austrian friar Peter Pang Huixiang, the floor plan is in the shape of a Latin cross. The exterior walls of the church are built with stone blocks, and the main western façade features two tall, pointed bell towers along with numerous smaller spires. The interior is adorned with murals and carvings with Catholic themes, and the nave can accommodate 800 people.

The construction was overseen by Lu Licheng, a renowned stonemason from Sundian Village. In his thirties (in 1904, during the construction of Hongjialou Catholic Church), he was specially hired by the Germans to serve as the chief construction supervisor. He brought over a hundred stonemasons from his village and managed a workforce of more than a thousand. Following the provided designs, he coordinated procurement, stone carving, as well as carpentry and masonry tasks. After three years, the project was finally completed.

After the Founding of the People’s Republic of China

In 1966, the church was closed during the Cultural Revolution. In April 1985, the government allocated special funds to comprehensively renovate the six crosses, 96 stone-carved decorative towers, as well as the church’s murals, statues, flooring, kneelers, altar, lighting, and other facilities. This restored the unique and distinctive Catholic church to its former glory. On December 25 of the same year, Christmas Day, the church, which had been closed for nearly 20 years, reopened and held a grand Mass. In 1992, it was designated as a Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit, and in 1995, it was listed as a Provincial Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. On May 25, 2006, it was approved by the State Council to be included in the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Majestic Presence

The church is large in scale, tall, and majestic. Its layout follows a Latin cross plan, and its façade is a classic example of Gothic architectural style. The church faces west with its back to the east, being narrower in the front and wider at the back, featuring multiple angles, edges, doors, and windows. The building covers an area of approximately 1,625 square meters (another source claims over 2,600 square meters, likely referring to the site area), and can accommodate a thousand people for Mass. The altar is situated at the eastern end. On both sides of the main façade are towering, freestanding bell towers (spires) with square stone bases. Their tops rise high, approximately 60 meters, flanked by domed pointed arches, exemplifying the characteristic verticality of Gothic design. Everything about the structure conveys an upward movement, adorned with slender spires and narrow windows that enhance the towering appearance of the towers.

The two bell towers (spires) flank the central nave’s gable wall, which is filled with densely packed windows. The three main entrances at the ground level are all pointed arches, richly decorated with layered carvings above the arches, adding to the aesthetic appeal. At the rear of the church, two additional spires, about 55 meters high, also stand tall. The four towers at the front and back correspond to each other, all constructed from blue bricks and stone materials, standing upright and straight, making the entire church even more magnificent. The roof features the distinctive pointed design of Gothic architecture. Medieval Europeans believed that such soaring roofs would bring them closer to God. Above the roof stands a cross, while the walls are lined with long strip windows. A clock is mounted on the southern wall of the bell tower, ticking away consistently over the decades.

Opulent Interior

The main hall of the church is tall, spacious, and lavishly decorated. The central aisle is lofty and extends deep into the structure. The floor of Hongjialou Catholic Church is paved with blue strip stones. Inside, there are two rows of square vertical pillars (approximately 40 in total), with intricately carved floral patterns on the capitals. The dome and walls feature exquisitely crafted patterns, carvings, and inscriptions. The towering dome is adorned with religious murals (mostly vibrant floral designs), while the slender columns are covered in delicate carvings, creating a deeply mystical religious atmosphere that is both awe-inspiring and majestic. The church is also well-lit, with windows made of stained glass that produce stunning light and color effects when illuminated by sunlight. Particularly at sunrise, the eastern altar area is bathed in radiant, colorful light, while at sunset, the western entrance glows brilliantly with radiant splendor.

On the south side of the church, there is also a two-story ambulatory building complex centered around the bell tower. The square, pointed spire tower has four stories, with two-story Western-style ambulatory buildings constructed on both the eastern and western sides. It is reported that this courtyard is an independent architectural compound, originally serving as the North China Major Seminary.

Address: No. 1, Hongjialou Village, Licheng District, Jinan City, Shandong Province

Suggested Visit Duration

1 hour

Transportation

Take bus routes 1, 10, 11, 16, 30, 40, K55, 65, 65 Interval, 71, 75, K91, 97, K98, 106, K107, 110, 118, 201, or Licheng Routes 1–16, and get off at Honglou Square (Catholic Church) Station.

Ticket

Free admission

Opening Hours

Monday–Sunday, 08:30–16:00

Further Reading:

·The Sixth Batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites