DiY China Travel

The South Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, is the first Roman Catholic cathedral to be built in Beijing. The cathedral was built in honor of the Jesuit missionary, Matteo Ricci, who arrived in Beijing in 1601. He brought many gifts such as clocks and mathematical instruments for the Wanli Emperor, and thus was given permission to build the cathedral in 1605. However, it was burned in 1775; rebuilt a century later; then destroyed again during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion. Finally, the South Cathedral that stands today was built in 1904 and it functions as the largest Catholic cathedral in Beijing today.

Insider Tips

An easy way to get there is by taking subway line 2 to Xuanwu Men station