Wang Hai Lou Catholic Church, Gothic Revival Catholic church in Hebei District, China
Wang Hai Lou is a Gothic Revival cathedral in Tianjin built with stone and brick featuring pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and supporting buttresses typical of its architectural style. The building occupies a substantial plot in the central district with multiple interior spaces and chambers arranged around its main sanctuary.
A first church, Notre-Dame des Victoires, was built here in 1869 on the site of the Chongxi Temple and burned on 21 June 1870 during the Tianjin Massacre. Rebuilt in 1897, it was destroyed again in 1900 during the Boxer Uprising; the present structure dates from 1904. It served as Tianjin's first cathedral from 1912 until the see moved to St Joseph's in 1914.
The name Notre-Dame des Victoires, carved in French on the bell tower's marble facade by Father Chevalier in 1869, refers to the Virgin Mary as "Victor over heresy". Since 1986 services have resumed, and the church is now run by the government-aligned Catholic Patriotic Association. The building is also known locally as Wanghailou, after the Qing pavilion that once stood on the site.
The building is accessible by public transportation throughout Tianjin and remains open for visitors on a regular basis. Visitors should be aware that access may be limited during religious ceremonies and on special feast days.
The church's two side towers each carry eight carved beast heads that serve as rainwater outlets; during rain, water pours from their mouths. The central tower, about 12 metres high, is flanked by lower two-storey wings, giving the facade its "山"-shaped outline.
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