St. Joseph's Cathedral

St. Joseph’s Cathedral is one of the city’s best-preserved religious landmarks and the second oldest Catholic temple in Beijing.

It was built in 1655. During its long history, the temple survived the earthquake of 1720, but could not survive the fire that occurred in 1900. In 1904, it was rebuilt on its former site. During the Cultural Revolution, the church was closed and reopened in 1980 after extensive renovations.

In terms of architecture, the cathedral is a Romanesque Renaissance style with some Chinese influence.

The temple has three domes with crosses, the highest of which is the central, and three entrances.