St Ignatius Cathedral

Shanghai


The dignified twin-spired St Ignatius Cathedral (1904) is a major Xujiahui landmark. Its nave is a long span of Gothic arches, while the exterior is ornamented with rows of menacing gargoyles. Note how the church spires find reflection in much of the more recently built local architecture.

The original stained glass was destroyed in the Cultural Revolution, but the vivid colours of the recent red, azure and purple replacements (with archaic Chinese inscriptions from the Bible) are outstanding. Exit 3 from Xujiahui metro station is right by the church.