St. John's Cathedral

St. John's Cathedral

St. John's Cathedral is located in garden road. It was founded in 1847 and completed in 1849. It is the first Christian Church in Hong Kong. During this period, an expansion project was carried out in 1865, which is what it looks like today. During the Second World War, the Japanese army used the church as its headquarters.

Introduction to architecture

St. John's Cathedral is located in garden road. It was founded in 1847 and completed in 1849. It is the first Christian Church in Hong Kong. During this period, an expansion project was carried out in 1865, which is what it looks like today. During the Second World War, the Japanese army used the church as its headquarters.

One of the earliest Christian churches in Hong Kong, located in Garden Road, Central Hong Kong Island, is a wooden building, which was built by Reverend Philip in 1841. In 1842, Anglican believers built a shed at Mary playground at garden crossing as a temporary place of worship. In 1844, pastor Stanton advocated the construction of a permanent chapel, which was supported by governor Davis. The foundation stone laying ceremony was held on March 11, 1847 and completed on March 11, 1849. There are 640 seats in the hall, costing 8736 pounds. Half of them are paid by the British government and the other half are raised by believers in Hong Kong.

Later, due to the increasing number of believers, the wing of the church was added in 1872, adding 60 seats. The additional cornerstone can still be seen on the east wall. At the end of 1941, when Hong Kong was occupied, most of its followers and priests were put into the concentration camp in Stanley. In July 1944, the Japanese changed the hall into a public hall and a Japanese club. At that time, the Catholic bishop of Hong Kong was informed of this and moved most of the furniture to St. Paul's College in Causeway Bay in time. In an air raid in 1945, half of the furniture was destroyed and the rest returned. After the war, it took two years to repair because of the serious damage. Nowadays, the chapel is not only used for Sunday worship, but also for weddings and funerals. Over the past hundred years, after continuous expansion and renovation, it has become today's scale. The church is still the center of spreading Christianity in Hong Kong. It is also the main church of Anglican Church in Hong Kong. It has an important position in Hong Kong.

After World War II, it was rebuilt many times, and the old appearance was still preserved. There is a monument in front of the main entrance to commemorate the martyrs during the first World War. Next to it lies the tombstone of the soldiers of Maxwell, in memory of the soldiers who died in front of the church during the Hong Kong defense war. On the north wall of the church, there is a memorial stone for Captain William to commemorate his martyrdom in Guangzhou in 1857.

Architectural status

Before 1997, Hong Kong was a British colony, and the Anglican Church was the Anglican Church. Therefore, the status of the Anglican Church in Hong Kong was naturally higher than that of other religions. Only the last governor of Hong Kong believed in Catholicism. Other governors were Anglican regardless of their political purposes or their sincerity. Therefore, the Church of St. John's Cathedral was the only one who believed in Catholicism St. John's Cathedral has always been a symbol of religious architecture in Hong Kong.

Route information

Tour route: take a taxi from star ferry terminal in central, or walk from the entrance of HSBC head office building in Queen's road central to the fort at the other end. St. John's Cathedral is not far away.

Address: 4-8 Garden Road, Hong Kong Island

Longitude: 114.159751

Latitude: 22.278690138512

Tel. + 852-25217830; + 852-2