In the era of the early Middle Ages, the most important trade routes passed through the territory of modern Harbin, and in the XII century the capital of the Jurchen Empire Jin was here. The city was founded by Russians at the end of the 19th century. Initially, it was the station of the Transmanchurian railway connecting Chita with Vladivostok. The first locals were the builders of the railway. And after the revolution of 1917, many white emigrants remained here, considering the city a new home.
All this led to a mixture of different cultures and national traditions in this territory, so here you can see temples and cathedrals of different religions and faiths.
1
Church of St. Sophia
It so happened in Russian Orthodoxy that the first temple, which was built in the new city, was named after Hagia Sophia. St. Sophia Cathedral in Harbin for a long time remained a stronghold of Orthodoxy in Manchuria.
In the photo: the construction of St. Sophia Cathedral in 1928
Built in the 20s of the twentieth century in a pseudo-Russian or, more precisely, Byzantine architectural style, St. Sophia Cathedral today is recognized as an architectural monument.
But initially the temple appeared on this place as far back as 1907. It was wooden, but in 1911 it was surrounded by a brick wall, then it was completely rebuilt.
In the photo: Epiphany Church in St. Petersburg, which is one of the prototypes of the Harbin St. Sophia Cathedral
After the Russians left the city, the temple was closed, and was often used for household needs. It was restored in the 1990s, and after repair, it features a gallery of photographs telling about the history of the city.
2
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
In 1900, railroad workers from Poland arrived to build the railway, and, naturally, the question arose of building a Catholic cathedral in the city.
In 1906, the first stone laid in the foundation of the new church was consecrated by the Catholic priest Dominic Pshiluski who arrived here. A year later, the Catholic temple was built and became the co-Cathedral of the Diocese of Heilongjiang.
During the cultural revolution, the diocese was abolished, and today the cathedral is under the jurisdiction of the apostolic administration.
3
Church of the Protection of the Holy Virgin
This beautiful church, consecrated in honor of the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is also called the Ukrainian Parish. Today it is the only Orthodox church in the city that falls under the jurisdiction of the Chinese diocese.
The Ukrainian parish was founded in 1922, and was originally housed in a Ukrainian house. In 1930, the city authorities allocated a parcel of land to the parish, and an Orthodox church was erected at the old cemetery.
Built in the Byzantine style, the Intercession Church is a striking architectural monument, and services here are held on major holidays by visiting priests.
4
Jilesa Monastery
In 1920, this majestic temple of Bliss or highest joy was erected by Yanxu master, and the temple complex entered the four famous Buddhist temples in northern China.
The Buddhist temple consists of several magnificent halls, and their facades are facing the Facade of the Drum Tower and the bell tower. The most beautiful decoration can be observed in the King's Hall, the Book Hall and the three halls of the Bodhisattva.
Every April a Buddhist festival is held here, which attracts Buddhists from China and neighboring countries.
5
Buddha Temple
The largest Buddhist temple in the city was erected in 1923. It has become a striking symbol of the northeast Chinese city. It is built in traditional Chinese architectural style, and has a height of 30 meters.
The uniqueness of this building is that from its foundation to the highest spire there are bronze statues of Buddhas and other bodhisattvas. The temple building itself is quite large, consisting of several rooms.
You can enter the halls through the beautiful Mountain Gate. In the majestic central hall stands a large statue of Buddha Shakyamuni.
6
Holy Alekseevskaya Church
A beautiful church was built from centuries-old lindens in the village of Alekseyevka, and in 1912 they carried out a unique operation to transfer it to one of the districts of Harbin.
In 1930, the project of the architect Yuri Smirnov was adopted and already in 1935 a new stone Orthodox church was consecrated. The church, built in the Russian style, amazes with its beauty and grandeur. The temple itself consists of a bell tower, refectory and the main building with an apse.
Today, the Orthodox church pleases the eye with its magnificent architecture among traditional eastern and modern buildings, but it belongs to the Catholic Patriotic Association.
7
St. Nicholas Cathedral
On Harbin Cathedral Square in 1900, a beautiful Nicholas Cathedral was built, which until 1957 remained the cathedral of the Russian Orthodox diocese abroad. It was later transferred to the diocese of the Chinese Orthodox Church.
The building stood in the center of the square, it was the highest place in the city. It was built by the architect Podlevsky. Surprisingly, the tree for its construction was specially brought from Canada.
The magnificent architectural style of the cathedral is striking, and the famous artist D. Glushenko painted the interior space. During the cultural revolution in China, the Orthodox church was destroyed, remaining only in photographs and in people's memory.
In 2009, on the outskirts of Harbin, Russian craftsmen restored St. Nicholas Cathedral. The church does not work, it is used only as a tourist attraction.
8
Harbin Cathedral Mosque
There is a place in Harbin where every Muslim can give praise to Allah. The first mosque appeared on this site in 1897, but was destroyed.
In 1904 it was restored to its original form, and in 1935, a large stone mosque was erected with the donations of believers. It was she who became the center of Islam in Northeast China.
The mosque is built in the traditional Arabian style, and covers an area of about 430 m². A real pearl of Harbin with a library and beautiful wall paintings is protected by the state.
Our site most-beuty.ru already wrote an article about the most beautiful mosques in the world, we advise you to look.
In the photo: Ice Temple, built at the annual international festival of snow and ice
As you can see, Harbin has become a real crossroads, at which different faiths and worldviews converged. All this was reflected in the cult architecture, and in modern Harbin every tourist will find a cathedral of their faith and religion, and the tolerance of the Chinese cannot but be respected.
In the previous article, you can get acquainted with other attractions of Harbin.
Article author: Valery Skiba