Guangzhou Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral (石室圣心大教堂) is situated in Yide Road (一德路), Guangzhou city in Guangdong province.
It's the most magnificent cathedral with catholic features in Guangzhou. It was first built in 1863 and completed in 1888 lasting a period of 25 long years.
Sacred Heart Cathedral is so named because all of its pillars and walls are made of granite. It was listed as as an Important Heritage Site Under State Protection in 1997.
Sacred Heart Cathedral is designed by a French designer and built by Chinese craftsmen.
Covering an area of 2,754 sq. m. (0.68 acre) with a length of 35 m. (115 ft.) from east to west and 79 m. (260 ft.) from south to north, it is reputed as the Notre Dame De Paris in the Far East.
The height of the tower totals 58.5 meters. It's also one of the four global Gothic church of stone structure.
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What is unique about this church is its lofty double stone tower each having a special clock on them. All the doors and windows of the church are fitted with colorful glasses to avoid the strong sunlight as well as to add a solemn and peaceful religious atmosphere.
The Cathedral opens only when a Mass is held especially on Saturdays when most Roman Catholics will go and attend it. It doesn't cost you any money to go there, and you can spend the whole day looking around and taking pictures until the Mass rite is finished, or you may join those Catholics while they are doing a Mass.
What you need to pay special attention is that all activities like the above-mentioned ones are forbidden during the Mass time. Moreover,when religious festivals like the Easter Day and the Christmas Day take place there, visors that are not of Catholic belief will normally not be allowed to go in.
Mass Timetable:
- Monday to Friday: 6:30 am, 7:00 am (in Cantonese)
- Saturday: 7:00 pm (in Mandarin)
- Sunday: 6:30 and 8:30 am (in Cantonese), 10:30 am (in Mandarin), and 3:30 pm (in English
Sacred Heart Cathedral is located in the Old Town Area on Yide Road. You are not suggested to drive there because this Road is a one-way street and most of the driveway is occupied by goods van selling tolls or seafood.
You may first take bus No. 31 or No 38 to the Provincial Bus Station and then change to metro line 2. Get off at Gongyuanqian (公园前) Station and change to metro line 1 which will take you there directly.