St. John's Cathedral
West tower of St. John's Cathedral. Photo
BrokenSphere.
East exterior. Public domain.
Interior of St. John's Cathedral. Photo
WiNG.
Location map and aerial view of St. John's Cathedral. For a larger interactive view, see our China Map.
Completed in 1849, St. John's Cathedral is the oldest western religious building in Hong Kong. An Anglican cathedral dating from the period of British rule, it is built in a traditional English Gothic style.
History
The foundation stone for St. John's Cathedral was laid by governor Sir John Davis on March 11, 1847. It was completed in 1849 and extended in 1873.
The Japanese attacked Hong Kong on December 8, 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor. Despite the ongoing shelling of the island, Christmas morning services were held with a congregation of 100 in the cathedral that year. The first service after the arrival of the Royal Navy at the end of the war was held on September 9, 1945.
In 1996, St. John's Cathedral was made a Declared Monument (#60) of Hong Kong. Today it remains an active cathedral and the major center of Anglican Christianity in Hong Kong.
What to See
The Neo-Gothic cathedral has a cross plan with a tall square tower at the west end. It houses three beautiful stained glass windows, as well as a collection of British military colors, standards and guidons.
Quick Facts
Site Information |
| Names: | St. John's Cathedral |
| Dedicated to: | St. John |
| Location: | Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China |
| Category: | Cathedrals |
| Faith: | Christianity |
| Denomination: | Anglican |
| Status: | active |
| Date: | 1847-49 |
| Patron: | Sir John Davis |
| Architecture: | Neo-Gothic |
Visitor Information |
| Coordinates: | 22.278767° N, 114.159668° E (view on Google Maps) |
| Address: | 4-8 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong, China |
| Phone: | 2523 4157 |
| Website: | www.stjohnscathedral.org.hk |
| E-mail: | general@stjohnscathedral.org.hk |
| Hours: | Daily 7am-6pm |
| Cost: | Free |
| Services: | Sun: 8am (said English Eucharist), 9am (sung English Eucharist), 10:30am (Mandarin Eucharist), 11:45am (English Holy Communion), 2pm (sung Pilipino Eucharist), 6pm (sung English Evening Service) Mon, Tue, Fri: 7:30am (said English Eucharist) Other da |
| Public transport: | MTR: Central Station |
| Parking: | Sunday parking available at Cheung Kong Center, Citibank Plaza and in Murray Building. |
Article Sources
Article written by Holly Hayes with reference to the following sources:
- St. John's Cathedral, Garden Road, Central - Declared Monuments of Hong Kong
- St. John's Cathedral, Hong Kong - Wikipedia
Article last updated: 07/25/2009.
