St. John's Cathedral

St. John's Cathedral

St. John's Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Hong Kong Island Diocese of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui (Anglican Church), located at 4-8 Garden Road in Central, Hong Kong. The cathedral was founded in 1847, completed and consecrated in 1849, making it the oldest Western ecclesiastical building in Hong Kong and the only piece of real estate in the territory that is legally classified as land rather than leasehold. St. John's Cathedral mainly consists of three main buildings: the cathedral itself was built in 1847 and is one of Hong Kong’s older Victorian Gothic structures; the chapel was completed in the 1920s, while the office building was added in the 1950s.

During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, St. John's Cathedral served as the headquarters of the Japanese military. It is now a declared monument of Hong Kong, a protected historical site, and also a uniquely distinctive tourist attraction. To prevent termite damage caused by humidity from air conditioning, the cathedral does not have air conditioning. In addition to special seats reserved for the bishop, clergy, and the cathedral’s ministers, there are also pews engraved with the British royal coat of arms, leftovers from the colonial era, which were originally reserved for the Governor of Hong Kong or members of the British royal family when they attended services during their visits to Hong Kong.

Currently, St. John's Cathedral holds services every day, including both morning and evening services. Services are conducted in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Filipino. Worshippers come from all over the world, making it truly an international cathedral.

St. John's Cathedral (Hong Kong)

Reason to visit: The oldest Western church building in Hong Kong