Notre Dame Epiphany

Notre Dame Epiphany

Notre Dame Episcopal Church, commonly known as Notre Dame church, Catholic Church. The church is said to be the largest in China and the third largest in the Far East. After the completion of Wensheng monastery in Jiaxing in 1903, the influence of Catholicism expanded. The following year, Italian priest Han rilu built a church at the foot of Zicheng (now Ziyang Street). He also moved the galmero Society (the Church of holy garments) from the sea salt chefubang to Jiaxing City.

Notre Dame Epiphany

history

In 1902, the French priest Bu Shijia built the "Wensheng monastery in Jiaxing, France". At that time, it was the only general Convent of the Chinese Missionary Society, also known as the "general convent". There are forty or fifty Chinese and foreign monks living in Wensheng monastery. They study the doctrine. Once they pass the examination, they become priests and are sent to churches all over the country. From 1909 to 1941, Wensheng monastery trained 155 12-year priests, who were sent to churches all over the country. Obviously, it used to be one of the Catholic strongholds in China.

brief introduction

In 1917, he was sent to build the magnificent Gothic cathedral under the direction of the priest Han rilu. Han rilu is not only a devout Catholic, but also a famous Italian architect. From material selection and purchase to engineering construction, they are engaged in their own work. They also import many advanced building materials from France, such as cement, steel, pine wood, colored glass and colored floor tiles. The bricks for walls are designated to be fired by Jiashan ganyao Town, and they are very strict with craftsmen. It cost 80000 silver yuan and took 13 years to complete in 1930. The whole church covers an area of 34000 square meters, with a construction area of 1320 square meters. The two bell towers in front of the church rise up to 57 meters, which used to be the tallest building in Jiaxing for a long time. The scale is known as the first in China and the third in the Far East. Reinforced concrete structure, beautiful and exquisite carving.

After the Church of Notre Dame was completed, an alloy cast iron clock was sent by the Catholic mission of Paris to hang on the clock tower. The iron bell is 1.10 meters high, 1.10 meters in diameter at the bottom, and weighs 657 kg. It can be heard for tens of miles. During the Anti Japanese War, the believers of Notre Dame hall boarded the bell tower many times and rang the big bell as an air defense alarm.

During the cultural revolution, it was devastated, leaving only the ruins of Notre Dame hall, with an existing construction area of 1590 square meters. But you can still see tall domes and arched doors, beautiful reliefs and four-color floor tiles. Now it is listed as a cultural relic protection unit in Zhejiang Province.

In 2004, "landscape planning and design of Jiaxing Catholic Church area" was issued, planning to build Jiaxing Catholic Church Square. The total area is 80 hectares.

build

In 1917, Han rilu chose the site of shenjianong (near Ziyang Street) and initiated the construction of Notre Dame hall. Han rilu was a devout Catholic priest and a famous Italian architect. From the purchase and construction of the village to the construction, he worked with him personally. At that time, Wang Maoji and Xu Ji were responsible for the construction of the project. The architect of Jiaxing. He didn't have much contact with western architecture, and became more and more skilled under the supervision of Korea and Japan. The requirements of Korean and Japanese craftsmen are very strict. If they are not up to standard, they will be sent for transportation. Carry a pine and get three copper dollars. In the spring of 1930, father Han rilu personally completed the relief of the last flame tongue flower on the bell tower. By this time he was nearly 60 years old. Due to the shortage of funds, the whole project lasted for five years, and the Italian architect exported all his mind and talent.

Interior landscape

The hall is magnificent, with two bell towers in front of it rising up to 57 meters high, and the dome in the hall gives people the feeling of being far away. The top of the hall column is engraved with patterns, and each hall column is carved with an angel. On the central altar, there are signboards and images of the virgin. The whole hall covers an area of 990.5 square meters. Many building materials such as cement, steel, pine, colored glass and colored floor tiles are imported from France. The wall bricks were fired by the designated Jiashan ganyao town. The total project cost is 80000 silver yuan. After the completion of Notre Dame. The alloy cast iron clock was sent by the Catholic mission in Paris and hung on the clock tower. This iron bell is 110 meters high. The diameter of the bottom is 1.10 meters and the weight is 657 kg. The sound of the attack was heard for tens of miles. In 1937, when the Anti Japanese war broke out and enemy planes repeatedly attacked Jiaxing, the believers of Notre Dame hall boarded the bell tower many times and rang the big bell as an air defense alarm. In addition to the main building of Notre Dame church, there is also the chapel of priest (after Han rilu died in 1945). That is to say, it is buried here), clergy residence and other places, forming a French style architectural complex, which is quite exotic. During the "Cultural Revolution", this place was devastated. Fifty years later, Notre Dame hall has left only ruins, but the relief sculptures on the high arched gate, which are subject to the erosion of time, are still beautiful

Address: No.55 Ziyang Street, Nanhu District, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province

Longitude: 120.751385

Latitude: 30.761327

Chinese PinYin : Sheng Mu Xian Ling Tang