Roaming Shanghai - St. Ignatius Cathedral

Shanghai is a city where Chinese and Western cultures blend. As a product of cultural integration, church architecture in Shanghai is a special existence. When it comes to churches in Shanghai, the first one that comes to mind is St. Ignatius Cathedral. St. Ignatius Cathedral is located at 158 Puxi Road, Xuhui District. It is a landmark building in Xujiahui and a world-renowned Catholic church. Its official name is "St. Ignatius Cathedral." This is a typical Gothic building, built in the 32nd year of the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty (1906). It is also the first Catholic church in China built in the Western architectural style and was once known as the largest church in the Far East. The exotic appearance of St. Ignatius Cathedral attracts many newlyweds to take wedding photos in front of the church, witnessing their pure love and recording beautiful moments. St. Ignatius Cathedral is one of the four famous Catholic churches in China (Shanghai St. Ignatius Cathedral, Guangzhou Sacred Heart Cathedral, Qingdao Catholic Church, and Shanxi Xinjiang Catholic Church). When I think of these four famous churches, I feel a little regretful because I didn't visit Xinjiang during my trip to Yuncheng last year. I have visited the other three at different times. Although I have stood outside the church countless times before and admired its exquisite and elegant appearance, I have never stepped into this sacred hall. The day before yesterday, I accidentally discovered that St. Ignatius Cathedral had officially announced that it was open to the public without reservation, which means that ordinary tourists can also visit during non-mass periods. My chance to explore has come... The interior of St. Ignatius Cathedral is naturally worth seeing. The interior of the church is gorgeously decorated, with the vertical space forming three parts: the front hall, the middle hall, and the back hall, and the horizontal space forming the north and south wings, which can accommodate more than 3,000 people. There are 19 altars inside, and the 44-meter-wide main altar was transported from Paris during Easter in 1919. When you walk into the church, you can walk around the interior. Every corner here has details worth savoring...