The groundwork for the Xuanwumen Church was conceived during the Ming Dynasty. It is the oldest church in Beijing and was the second building designed by a European to be built in the capital city. What is commonly referred to as the Xuanwumen Church is actually the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
It is a name which more boldly leans toward the glorification of God as well as the Cathedral's Baroque style architecture, also reflective of this concept.Having originated as a modestly sized chapel with a simple cross gracing its entrance, the cathedral has since gone through a number of renovations and even an expansions.
This is, in part, due natural disasters that have occurred such as earthquakes, invasions, or floods. It was built into its current form shortly after it had been demolished by Chinese nationalists during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion.
At its inception however, the Xuanwumen Church held some influence over the Chinese government. Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty, for example, allowed the Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci to reside at the Xuanwumen Church and to later create the original chapel.
Ricci later became the first foreigner to gain entrance into the Forbidden City, as he was well respected for his astrological and mapping skills.
Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing dynasty personally visited this church over twenty times. Two original tablets face each other across the courtyard, which bear Emperor Shunzhi's inscriptions "Way to paradise" and "Adoration of the Divinity."
The front facade of the church features some intricately carved stone work over the doors and along the central axis. Inside, the semi-circular ceiling of the nave draws visitors forwards to the central altar, while slightly smaller aisles run alongside it.
Sunlight enters the space via window panes, some of which house stained glass windows. In the afternoons, the church is surprisingly bright and warm.
As in other churches, statues and paintings of saints accompany the different versions of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. There won't be any big surprises found here, but it is a very pleasant and quiet space to escape downtown Beijing's hustle.
However, the Xuanwumen Church does stand out because it provides services in a number of languages. Sunday mass is provided in English, Chinese, and even Latin. Yet, as with most churches, Sundays can be quite busy. During the Easter and Christmas holidays, especially, you should choose a place that isn’t so packed so that you have a great time with when it comes to celebrating the holidays.
Address: 181 Qianmen West Street
Hours of Operation: Monday to Saturday 6am to 11am, 2pm to 6:30pm. Sunday, 6am to 7pm.
From Xuanwumen subway station, walk to the northeast corner of the intersection. Construction outside of the church won't finish until January, so for now visitors must enter through the construction gate off of Xuanwumen Wai Da Jie to gain access the church’s interior.
