Mikhailovsky Cathedral

One of the main attractions of the city of Qingdao is the Mikhailovsky Cathedral, which is the residence of the bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese. The monastery was built in 1934 by German missionaries on a hilltop, in the center of the old part of the city. It is the largest example of Romanesque Renaissance architecture in Shandong Province.

During the Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976, the cathedral was damaged and abandoned. In 1981, St. Michael’s Cathedral was renovated by the government, and in 1992 it was included in the list of historical buildings under the protection of the Shandong provincial government.

The total area of St. Michael’s Cathedral is 2740 square meters. In its interior there are traced piers and arches made in the Renaissance style. Above the 12-meter transept is a beautiful cascading ceiling. The narrow vaults above the two aisles, much lower than the nave, now function as an outpatient clinic - a covered passage around the monastery. The total capacity of the monastery is 1000 people. The bathtub and statues inside the temple are signed in English and Chinese.