St. Sophia
Church
standing proudly and majestically in the midst
of Daoli, Harbin City, Heilongjiang province, China, the
Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom of God, or more locally known as
the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Harbin, this beautiful former
Russian Orthodox church had been constructed in 1907, and is
still considered one of the most outstanding structures of the
city. After the Trans-Siberian Railway was finished in 1903,
which connected Vladivostok to northeast China, Russian number 4
army division would arrive here after having lost to the
Japanese in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. This
magnificent church was then constructed and finished in 1097 as
part of their plan to reconsolidate the confidence of the troops
by constructing such a huge and imposing spiritual symbol. After
the People's Republic of China was born, in 1949, the cathedral
would be given to the Chinese, who had stopped all further
missionary work in the country, and in 1997, converted it into a
museum, called the Municipal Architecture and Art Museum that
today, showcases the multi-cultural architectural developments
of the region through the years.
|
