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10 Famous Churches in Beijing

1. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception - South Cathedral

South Cathedral

It is located at Xuanwumen Avenue, and it faces the north. Because there is a huge painting of the Immaculate Conception hanging on the wall behind the pulpit, it is also called 'the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception'. It is the seat of Beijing's dioceses and Patriotic Catholic Association. As one of the 10 famous churches in Beijing, this church in Beijing provides English mass every Sunday.

Opening Time: 06:00-09:00 (reference only)
Location: 141, West Qianmen Street, Xicheng District
Mass Times: Saturday Vigil Mass, 18:30 Chinese (youth mass);
Sunday Mass, 06:00 (Latin), 07:00 & 08:30 (Chinese), 10:30 (English), 12:30 (Italian, Spanish Readings), 16:00 & 18:00(Chinese);
Daily Mass: 06:00 (Latin), 06:30 & 07:15 (Chinese)
Tel: 010-66037139

2. Zhushikou Church
As one of the 10 famous churches in Beijing, it was a Christian one built up in 1904 and located at the busy intersection of Zhushikou Xidajie and Qianmen Dajie. It was the first of the eight churches set up by the United Methodist Church. Different from the others, this one has had Chinese priests since inception.
Opening Time: 08:30-17:00
Location: 129, Qianmen Street, Dongcheng District
Mass Times: Wednesday, 07:00 – 08:00 (youth mass);
Saturday, 19:00 – 20:30 (evening mass);
Sunday Mass, 08:00 – 09:30, 10:00 – 11:30
Tel: 010-63016678

3. St. Joseph’s Church - East Church

East Church

Among the 10 famous churches in Beijing, it is the most conspicuous cathedral in Beijing which located at Wangfujing Street, and it faces the west. It was originally named after Joseph, the father of Jesus Christ, as 'Saint Joseph's Church'. Many precious religious paintings drawn by Giuseppe Castiglione are preserved. After several restorations in recent years, it has become a cultural site with unique features in the Wangfujing Area.

Opening Time: every morning (times may vary)
Location: 74, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District.
Mass Times: Sunday Mass, 06:15, 07:00, 08:00 (Chinese), 16:00 (English);
Daily Mass: 06:30 & 07:00 (Chinese)
Tel: 010-65240643

4. St. Michael's Church - Dongjiao Minxiang Church
Also named 'French Church', it is the old French embassy church and the last one built by missionaries in China. As one of the 10 famous churches in Beijing, its two-story Gothic architecture built in 1901 is well-known by the delicate statues of angels above its main gate.
Opening Time: Open all day (reference only)
Location: 13, Dongjiaominxiang, Dongcheng District
Mass Times: Sunday Mass, 07:00 & 08:00 (Chinese);
Daily Mass, 07:00 & 08:00 (Chinese), 10:30 (Korean)
Tel: 010-65135170

5. Kuanjie Church
It was a Christian one among the eight originally set up by the United Methodist Church.
Opening Time: Tuesday and Thursday: 09:00-10:30, Friday: 19:00-20:30, Saturday: 08:30-10:30, Sunday: 09:00-12:00
Location: 10, Jixiang Hutong, Di'anmendong Street, Dongcheng District
Mass Times: Sunday Mass, 09:00 – 10:30, 10:30 – 12:00;
Friday, 07:00 – 08:30 (youth mass);
Saturday, 08:30 – 10:30
Tel: 010-84039432

6. Church of the Saviour, Beijing - North Church

Xishiku Church

As one of the famous Catholic Churches in Beijing, this one is located in Xishiku inside the west city gate, and it faces the south. Built in the 14th year of Emperor Guangxu's reign of the Qing Dynasty, it was originally called 'Savior Church'. It was erected in the 42nd year of Emperor Kangxi's reign of the Qing Dynasty, by a French missionary.
Opening Time: 05:00-18:00 all day on Christmas (reference only)
Location: 33, Xishiku Street, Xicheng District
Mass Times: Sunday Mass, 06:00, 07:00, 08:00, 10:00, 18:00 (Chinese);
Daily Mass, 06:00 & 07:00 (Chinese)
Tel: 010-66175198

7. Western Church - Xizhimen Church
Located on the southern side of Xizhimen Nei Dajie, it was a Catholic Cathedral first established in 1723 and restored in 1912. Because of a pharmacy factory beside the place of worship, it nearly cannot be seen from the street. But delicate Collins pillars and Gothic peaked arches inside make it grand, elegant and solemn.
Opening Time: 06:30-07:00
Location: 130, Xizhimenneinan Street, Xicheng District
Mass Times: Sunday Mass, 08:30 (Chinese), 11:00 (French), 18:30 (Chinese);
Daily Mass, 07:00 (Chinese)
Tel: 010-66156619

8. Gangwashi Church
It is one of the Protestant churches in Beijing built during the 1860s under the sponsorship of the London Missionary Society. In 1900, it was destroyed during the Boxer Uprising and was rebuilt in 1903. In 1922, it merged with the China Christian Church. It regularly performs Sunday services in English and Korean, as well as Chinese.
Opening Time: Open every day
Location: 57, Xisinan Street, Xicheng District
Mass Times: Sunday Mass, 07:30 – 08:30, 09:00 – 10:00, 10:30 – 11:30, 19:00 – 20:00;
Thursday, 19:00 – 20:30 (youth mass)
Tel: 010-66176181

9. Chongwenmen Church
Established in 1870 when it was called Asbury Church, it was the first one constructed by the American Methodist Church in Northern China. It has basically kept the original exterior decoration today, though it was smaller in scale at first.
Opening Time: Tuesday--Wednesday: 19:00, Thursday: 09:00, Friday: 09:00, 18:00-20:00
Location: 2, Hougou Hutong, Chongwenmennei, Dongcheng District
Mass Times: Sunday Mass, 07:00 – 08:00, 08:30 – 10:00, 10:30 – 12:00, 19:00 – 20:30 (Chinese), 13:00 – 15:00 (Korean);
Friday, 18:30 (youth mass)
Tel: 010-65133549

10. Church of the Dormition
The last one of 10 famous churches in Beijing is the church is located in the Russian embassy of Beijing built in 1902. There are only two orthodox churches in China; one is this one and the other one is in Harbin. Most of Orthodox believers are Russian people living in China, so this Orthodox Church in Beijing serves as a friendship bridge of Russian and Chinese people.
Location: 4 Beizhong Street, Dongcheng Street