The Nanguan Church in Shenyang is
located at Lejiao Road in Shenhe District. It was established in 1873, burnt
down in 1900 and rebuilt in 1912.
The existing Catholic Church was just the
one built in 1912. The whole buildings are divided into two courtyards, the east
yard and west yard. The church lies in the north of the east yard, with 66
meters in length from the north to south, 17 meters in width from the west to
east, and 40 meters in height. The building area is 1,100 square meters. It can
accommodate 1,500 people.
This church is a typical Gothic
architecture. There are two cone-shaped spires at the top that are decorated
with crosses. There are three arches in front of the church, and arrays of small
windows on both sides. There are 24 columns support the vault that is embedded
with large patterns. A four-storeyed bishop mansion was built in the west yard
in 1926.
Shenyang City is the center of Catholicism
in Northeast China. Before 1949, the seven bishops in Shenyang Parish were all
Frenchmen, and Chinese priests held accessorial positions. It was not until
September 1949 that Vatican first appointed a Chinese to be the bishop of
Shenyang Parish and the chief bishop of Northeast Parish. The church was listed
as a cultural relic under protection by Liaoning Province in
1988.