St. Francis Cathedral of Xi'an

St. Francis Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church in Xi'an featuring a neo-Romanesque front facade with three arched entrances and decorative brick carvings. The structure blends European architectural elements with Chinese decorative patterns throughout its design.

Italian missionary Antonio Laghi founded this church in 1716 and completed it in 1727 after facing initial resistance from the Qing government. Its completion marked an early moment of religious tolerance in Chinese history.

The building shows how foreign religions adapted to China by mixing European church forms with local artistic touches. Visitors notice how the decorative patterns reflect both Catholic and Chinese design traditions in every corner.

The church sits on Wuxing Street and access can be limited during active worship services or religious ceremonies. It helps to check ahead about visiting hours and whether ceremonies are taking place.

Since 2005, a religious community operates a soup kitchen from this location providing free meals to those in need. This quiet charitable work remains unknown to many visitors and shows the living social mission of the community.