Taiyuan Catholic Church

Taiyuan Catholic Church

Taiyuan Catholic Church, also known as Taiyuan General Church, Catholic Bishop's office of Taiyuan diocese and Catholic Bishop's Cathedral of Taiyuan diocese, is located on Jiefang Road. It is a tall building of ancient Roman style, with iron red body and white line decoration.

brief introduction

Taiyuan General Church, full name: Cathedral of the immaculate concept

(the seventh batch of national key cultural relics protection units)

Time: Late Qing Dynasty

Address: 178 Jiefang Road, Xinghualing District, Taiyuan City

The Catholic Church was built in 1870, destroyed in 1900, and rebuilt in 1905. It covers an area of about 133000 square meters, with an existing area of 4300 square meters. The main building is a chapel with two Western-style bell towers. The Catholic Church is the largest Catholic activity place in Taiyuan City, and it is also the location of the provincial and municipal Catholic Patriotic Association.

Introduction of the catalog

The Catholic Bishop's Cathedral of Taiyuan diocese is located at no.3-5, the former North gate, and No.178, Jiefang Road, in the old urban area of Taiyuan. It holds the Virgin Mary of the original sin as the main protector, St. Joseph and St. Francis of the five injuries as the Deputy protector. Its full name is the Bishop's Cathedral of the original sin of the Virgin Mary of Taiyuan. The hall is a magnificent religious building with strong ancient Roman art style. Once the largest Catholic Church in Shanxi Province, it is still one of the most important bishops in China. In 2005, it was listed as a provincial key cultural relics protection unit by Shanxi provincial government. In 2013, it was listed as a national key cultural relics protection unit.

History of the catalogue

Taiyuan Cathedral

It was built in 1866 by Jiang Leisi, an Italian Franciscan. It is located in the area of today's Jiefang Road East Sandao lane. The hall is in the north-south direction, ancient Roman style. It was burned in the 26th year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty. Currently, the Bishop's Cathedral of Taiyuan was built by Bishop Feng Chaorui, an Italian Franciscan. On July 16, 1902, bishop Rui of Fengchao came to Taiyuan to serve as the acting bishop of the northwest diocese. Bishop Feng immediately presided over and raised funds to rebuild the Archbishop's hall and archbishop's Cathedral in Taiyuan. He was the assistant friar of Italian origin, who was the design supervisor of China. It was completed in 1905 and was consecrated on December 31. The architectural form has been preserved to this day. At that time, the total area of Taiyuan hall was more than 157 mu, with the range of Jiefang Road in the west, dongsandaoxiang in the north, Yongding Road in the East and Chengfang East Street in the south. They were gradually purchased by the church from the end of Xianfeng in the Qing Dynasty (1861) to the Anti Japanese war. The buildings include the Episcopal Church, the priest's office building, the dining room, the big and small gardens, the monastery, the nunnery, the Church of the red, the convent of Josephus, the Mingyuan boys' school and the gala girls' school, the Tzu you seal library and other ancillary buildings, and some traces still exist today.

Style of the architectural

The Episcopal Church is a Roman flat top structure, with a Latin cross longitudinal shape, and the back church is a semicircular roof. The cruciform design shows strict balance and symmetry. From a distance, the cross and the towering bell tower seem to connect with the sky. Looking down from the air, it is like a big cross lying flat on the ground. The holy hall is a cross shaped building facing east and West. It is 50 meters long, 33 meters wide and 50 meters high. It covers an area of more than 1400 square meters and can accommodate 2600 people to participate in the ceremony.

The painted glass in the church vividly shows God's salvation plan, and various biblical stories are displayed on the glass windows.

This Roman style classical building has a grand shape, and the huge cross standing at the top marks its identity, leaving a mysterious religious color to the prosperous liberation road. It's very open here. On the blackboard at the door, in addition to the notice for the congregation, there are also the words "welcome to the church and the ceremony". The priest is also very kind and easy. Turning to the back of the chapel is the place where the priests rest and work. The office building is a three story Italian style building, with the appearance of green brick, and there is no lack of Chinese style simplicity. Taiyuan Catholic Church complex is undoubtedly a typical representative of religious architecture in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China.

On the exterior of the church wall, the word "Catholic Church" is arched by two unique lions. It has become a mystery why the lion shape was adopted. No one can explain it. Maybe the architects at that time wanted to use lions to express the dignity of God. When the church was built, there were a group of foreign clocks from Italy on the clock tower, which sounded every quarter of an hour and every half an hour. The bell of the Catholic Church rang throughout the ancient city of Taiyuan. According to old people's memories, Taiyuan people at that time listened to the bell of the Catholic Church to correct the time. Unfortunately, due to historical reasons, during the cultural revolution, the bell and the organ disappeared. During the celebration of the Centennial Hall of Taiyuan general hall in 2005, with the efforts of the diocese, the grand scene of the bell ringing for several miles was restored. People living in the prosperous metropolis could not help but stop when they passed by Taiyuan general hall and heard the melodious sound of the bell, as if to accept a spiritual washing Courtesy.

When visiting the church, visitors will always be infected by its rich religious atmosphere. The melodious organ, beautiful hymn and magnificent hall are the typical European church style. There are numerous sculptures and colorful paintings in the church. The sky blue ceiling gives people a sense of tranquility. Many tourists sit in the church, enjoying the architecture and painting art of the church on the one hand, and more importantly, looking for a quiet heart. All kinds of biblical stories are presented in the church. The glass windows above the main hall are ingenious and unique. It is said that they have the function of sound absorption. In the busy metropolis, the church becomes more solemn and solemn, and tourists have to sigh for the wisdom of ancient architects. Behind the altar is a semicircle, with a long light symbolizing the power of the bishop of the diocese and a throne for the bishop to instruct the priests.

Concluding remarks

Taiyuan diocese is a glorious diocese and a place where Saint yasongda works and studies. Countless ancestors' heroic spirit and persistent spirit of defending faith inspire us to work hard and devote our love. We rely on the prayer of little Teresa to spread the gospel of love across the Fenhe River and the land of Jinyang.

Other major churches

Heping South Road Jesus Holy Heart Church, also known as Shagou Catholic Church, is located in Heping South Road, Wanbailin District, Taiyuan city. The church is a Gothic building. The existing main chapel is a modern reconstruction and is a key cultural relic protection unit in Taiyuan city. < I note: < / I

It is close to Taiyuan University of technology, Taiyuan Normal University, Shanxi University of Finance and economics, Xiayuan, Shanfang and Yijing. Father Ren

Mass time:

Weekdays: 6:00 am

6:00 pm

Sunday: 9:00 am

6:00 pm

Yangjiabao Catholic Church, located in Yangjiabao community, Pingyang Road, Xiaodian District, Taiyuan City, is a Gothic building. The existing main chapel is a modern reconstruction. < I note: < / I

It is close to Shanxi University and Changfeng street.

Father: father Guo

Mass time:

Weekdays: 6:00 am

6:00 pm

Sunday: 9:00 am

6:00 pm

Dongergou Catholic Church, located in dongergou village, Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City, is a key cultural relics protection unit in Taiyuan city. Founded in 1927, the Notre Dame Church of Ruth is a Romanesque building. Dongergou is the place where the holy daughter asunda studies and lives. Now, asunda's former residence is for you to visit. Outside the village, there is also the national famous "seven bitter mountain virgin pilgrimage site"

On the hillside of qiku mountain, there is the site of Nanshan convent, the earliest monastery in Shanxi Province

Banquanshan Notre Dame church is one of the most famous Notre Dame pilgrimage sites in China. It has "Shanghai Sheshan Notre Dame Church in the South and Taiyuan banquanshan Notre Dame Church in the north". It enjoys a very high status in Chinese Catholicism. It is a key cultural relic protection unit in Taiyuan city. Bansishan Notre Dame hall in Taiyuan, formerly known as "banquanshan Notre Dame hall", "bansishan Notre Dame hall" is a misnomer of people. Scholars confirmed that it should be "banquanshan Notre Dame hall in Taiyuan" after textual research. Banquanshan Notre Dame hall is located in the southeast of Yangqu County, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, about 40 kilometers away from the provincial capital Taiyuan. The mountain belongs to the Taihang Mountains, north of Zhoushan, with an altitude of 1760 meters. The holy hall is built on the back of the mountain, also known as "Notre Dame hall on the back of the mountain".

Address: Xinghualing District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province

Longitude: 112.562181

Latitude: 37.883813

Chinese PinYin : Tai Yuan Tian Zhu Jiao Tang