Located on Caoxi Road, North, with a full name of the Cathedral of St. Ignacio, was first built in the 22 nd year of Qing emperor Guangxu's reign (1896). It is a medieval Gothic architecture. There are two bell towers, one on each side, 60 m high.
The whole cathedral is built of red bricks and lined with granite. On the front wall there are huge round windows fitted with stained glass. The building, standing erect and imposing, appeals to people with a solemn and sacred air.
It was then the first grand architecture in Shanghai. Before liberation it was the Catholic centre south of the Changjian River. After liberation, it has become the centre for Catholic activities. It can accommodate 2,000 worshippers at the same time.
