The Cathedral of St Ignatius Loyola is an old neo-Gothic style building, also known as Xujiahui Cathedral. Located in Shanghai, the cathedral has been the cathedral of the Diocese of Shanghai since 1950. The building was erected by French Jesuit monks in the late 19th century. The author of the project was the architect William Doyle. The cathedral was consecrated in honour of Saint Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit order).
The cathedral acquired its present form in 1910. During its long life, the cathedral has undergone many changes. For example, during the Cultural Revolution it was completely closed to parishioners, as the building was seriously damaged: the spires were torn off, all the stained glass windows were broken and the ceiling was dismantled. It is also noteworthy that during the following decade the premises of the church were used as a granary. And since 1979 and up to now the church has been functioning, Masses are regularly held here, including for children. At Easter and Christmas, more than 12,000 parishioners gather there.
The building of the cathedral looks majestic. There are two bell towers attached to the temple, each of which reaches 50 metres in height. Inside the temple there is a large hall, 19 altars and 64 carved stone columns. The facade of the cathedral is decorated with a statue of Jesus.
In Shanghai, this cathedral is the largest Christian church. Between 2002 and 2010, the building underwent a major renovation and was completely restored. Now the temple is an important landmark of the city.
