Architecture is the product of economic and technological development and change, and it is also a witness of the times. Especially in the 12th to 15th centuries, the development of science and technology and economy gave birth to the prosperity of art, art was integrated into architecture, unprecedented development, and mostly in the form of building churches appeared in front of the eyes of the world. Therefore, many precious buildings have also been left for future generations to appreciate.
The word "church" is derived from the Greek word meaning "dwelling place of the Lord" and is a building and dedicated place where religious ceremonies are held. Most of its styles are imitation palaces, and the most well-known is the Gothic church, because it has the longest reign.
Due to historical reasons, the West has also left many churches in China, sprinkled all over the country, leaving buildings that not only witness that period of history, but also become a landscape we watch today, here in so many churches, netizens commented on the most beautiful ten cathedrals in China.
They are: 1, Shanghai Xujiahui Catholic Church, 2, Heilongjiang Sophia Church, 3, Hong Kong St. John's Cathedral, 4, Guangzhou Stone Room Sacred Heart Cathedral, 5, Jinan Hongjialou Catholic Church, 6, Beijing Wangfujing Catholic Church, 7, Beijing St. Michael's Church, 8, Shanghai Sheshan Notre Dame Cathedral, 9, Tianjin Xikai Church, 10, Beijing Xishiku Church. Each of these ten churches is a classic, and two of them are in Shanghai.
1. Shanghai Xujiahui Catholic Church
The National Cultural Relics Protection Unit, built in 1904, was completed in 1910. It is located at No. 158 Puxi Road, Xujiahui, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China. Medieval Gothic building with a long cross-shaped plan, facing east, with bell towers on both sides.
Gothic architecture is the product of the embryonic capitalism of Western Europe, the development of cities. Its greatest feature is the incomparable magnificence of its construction, when the gothic church was built for the greatest purpose of religion, which also doomed the building itself to be inseparable from its propaganda religious theology.
That is, the religious church is the dwelling place of God, with the understanding of this premise, we look at the Catholic Church again, we will find that the building as a whole has a tall and vast sense of space and dreamy hollow walls to bring charming lighting, such as its rose stained glass.
It was the tallest building in Shanghai until the 1920s and is still the largest Catholic church in Shanghai. Here is now an important tourist attraction in Shanghai, the morning photo light is relatively good, under the blue sky and white clouds, the church stands in a sycamore bush, super good-looking, but during the epidemic period, temporarily not open to the public, can only take pictures outside.
2. Shanghai Church of Our Lady of Sheshan
Sheshan Cathedral, construction began in 1871 and was completed in 1873. Hidden in the sheshan greenery of Songjiang, Shanghai, it is a church building that integrates the architectural styles of many countries and the harmonious combination of ethnic and Western architectural styles, and the overall architectural style is The Roman style, (Gothic architecture is evolved after Roman architectural art).
Its building plan is In the Latin cross shape, of which the spire is Gothic, the bell tower is Israeli, the colonnade is Greek, and the Qingshui façade and doujiao floor tiles are Chinese national.
The whole building structure is exquisite and chic, and the form is solemn and beautiful. The main hall is 56 meters long from east to west, 25 meters wide from north to south, and the main building is 38 meters high (including the Gothic spire). About 5 meters above the roof, it is covered with turquoise glazed tiles, forming an insulating layer with the roof. There are 3,000 seats and can accommodate 4,000 parishioners.
The design of the building is predictable, in the echo and moisture-proof dust removal have been done special treatment, the hall speech without a loudspeaker has a loudspeaker effect, can automatically remove dust, from the top of the temple to the glazed tile layer there is a 5-meter-high space, the whole building has no wood, no nails, no steel and no beams. When you sit in a chair and look up, the artistic dome is very beautiful.
The towering bell tower at the top is distributed with 8 large bells, and the statue of the Virgin Mary about 8 meters high made of copper, the Virgin Mary raises her hands in the shape of a cross- The Pope of Rome made the church the first temple in 1942, making it a Catholic pilgrimage center in the Far East.
Shanghai Xujiahui Church and Shanghai Sheshan Virgin Church, I have been to several times, the overall feeling down, personally prefer Shanghai Sheshan Notre Dame Church, relatively speaking, this church is more magnificent, the experience is better, the staff inside has a sense of mission, even if you are not a believer, when you step into that moment, you can feel their kind treatment and patient explanation.
But this church is in Songjiang, Shanghai, a bit far from the city center. And to climb the mountain, although Shanghai's Sheshan is not high, but walking to the top is also very physically draining, relatively speaking, it is more suitable for people who live here for a long time to relax and watch, if you come to Shanghai to travel friends, want to go, it is recommended to reserve a day's time, if you have a drone, you must bring it.