St. Joseph's Cathedral in Tianjin

St. Joseph's Cathedral (also known as Xikai Church (Chinese: 西開堂; pinyin: Xikāi Táng) is a Catholic church located in the central commercial area of Tianjin. Located at the southern tip of Binjiang Dao in Heping Hat. The cathedral is one of the protected historical relics of Tianjin. The church was built in 1911 under the name MG Church before it was renamed St. Joseph's Cathedral. It is the largest Roman Catholic church in Tianjin. The church has an area of ​​1891.95 square meters and can accommodate 1500 people. A giant dome with a green copper surface on the outside, supported by a wooden structure and surmounted by a bronze cross. At the time it was built, the bishop refused to install a lightning rod on the dome, but 50 years later it was added. However, 80 years later, when the area became the commercial center of Tianjin, the church ceased to be the tallest building and therefore no longer required a lightning rod. The walls of the Xikai are tiled in red and yellow and lined with white waterstone. Round windows, columns, large interior paintings, a large organ and semi-circular windows accentuate the building. The entrance consists of two doors at the back of the Xikai. It was originally intended that men and women could enter through separate doors. The interior of Xikai is based on French and Roman architectural styles. The long main hall is framed by 14 large columns (two rows of seven). The nave has a folded compound side portico supported by semicircular pinnacles. The high central dome consists of an octagonal drum roof that complements the octagonal windows throughout the church. Side windows - stained-glass windows with inlay. Painted, ornate frescoes, full of biblical scenes, cover the walls. #tianjin #china #church #cathedral