PLACE GUIDE

St. Ignatius Cathedral, Shanghai 徐家汇天主教堂

Xujiahui Tianzhu Jiaotang

St. Ignatius Cathedral is the Catholic cathedral in Xujiahui.

St. Ignatius Cathedral, Shanghai · 徐家汇天主教堂. Photo: 2022-09-17.
St. Ignatius Cathedral, Shanghai · 徐家汇天主教堂. Photo: 2022-09-17. · 钉钉 · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Converted to WebP and resized without changing the subject or cropping the source frame.

Explore the region

Shanghai · 上海市 →Xuhui District · 徐汇区 →

About St. Ignatius Cathedral, Shanghai

Its dedication and history reflect the Jesuit presence in this part of Shanghai.

The cathedral’s altar history includes an altar imported from Paris, while Marian devotion is represented by an image of Mary Help of Christians. A visit should give attention to the church as an active place of worship as well as a historic building. Public access to the interior depends on church arrangements, so an exterior architectural visit is the most straightforward basis for planning.

A first church on the site, in Greek style, was built in 1851 and demolished in the 1980s. A larger Gothic-style church, designed by the English architect William Doyle and built by French Jesuits between 1906 and 1910, replaced it and was once said to be the grandest church in the Far East. In 1960 the cathedra of the Bishop of Shanghai was moved here, making the church the seat of the Shanghai diocese. It was damaged and used for other purposes during the Cultural Revolution, then renovated and returned to religious use in November 1979.

The church is a brick-and-wood structure covering 6,670 square meters, with two 60-meter bell towers and spires rising about 31 meters above the ridge. Built on a Latin-cross plan, its interior is 79 meters long and can seat 2,500 people, with 19 side chapels.

Under the name Xujiahui Catholic Church, it was designated a Shanghai cultural relic protection unit and excellent historic building on 25 September 1989, and a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位) on 5 March 2013. In 2012 the surrounding Xujiahui Yuan (徐家汇源) area was established as a national 4A tourist attraction (国家4A级旅游景区).

What to look for

  • The cathedral represents Xujiahui’s Catholic and Jesuit history.
  • The sanctuary’s devotional objects include the image of Mary Help of Christians.

Location & getting there

Getting to St. Ignatius Cathedral, Shanghai

Use Xujiahui metro station for the cathedral area and follow current local signs to the church. No particular station exit is assumed here.

General visit reminders

Choose the building, exhibition or part of the historic area you most want to see, then leave time to explore its setting. Check the venue’s current opening and reservation arrangements directly; a place appearing on the map does not mean every building or gallery is accessible on your travel date.

Combine your visit

A suggested sequence linking the specific features of this visit.

  1. Cathedral exterior

    Begin with the church’s presence in the Xujiahui neighbourhood.

  2. Sanctuary, when open to visitors

    Observe the altar and devotional setting respectfully during permitted access.

This order is editorial. Confirm access and any transfers between stops; it does not establish a walking route, same-day connection or common admission ticket.

Historic sites & architecture · 历史古迹／建筑 →

Find St. Ignatius Cathedral, Shanghai

徐家汇天主教堂 · 徐汇区

Amap · 高德地图Approximate pin · 近似位置Apple Maps · 苹果地图

The pin marks the area, not the entrance.

More places nearby

Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.

Wukang Mansion 武康大楼

1 km away

Wukang Mansion occupies a wedge-shaped corner where Wukang Road meets Middle Huaihai Road. Designed by László Hudec and completed in 1924, it was originally known as the Normandie Apartments.

View guide →

Wukang Road 武康路

2 km away

Wukang Road runs through the western part of Shanghai’s former French Concession in Xuhui. Formerly Route Ferguson, it is lined with historic residential and institutional buildings under plane trees.

View guide →

Longhua Temple 龙华寺

3 km away

Longhua Temple follows the axial arrangement of a Song-period Chan monastery, although most halls are later reconstructions. Maitreya Hall introduces the sequence of worship spaces, followed by the main Mahavira Hall and other…

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Sources & visit information

The linked encyclopedia sources support background and place descriptions. Current opening hours, ticket prices, booking rules and transport schedules have not been independently verified for this guide. Confirm them with the venue or operator before travelling.

Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors, “St. Ignatius Cathedral” · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1354780907.

Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "徐家汇圣依纳爵主教座堂", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 93173302.

Background paragraphs condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "St. Ignatius Cathedral", English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1354780907.

China Revealed · Editorially updated 2026-10-07