Fairytale-like Saint Sophia Cathedral

Fairytale-like Saint Sophia Cathedral

Walking from southern Central Street towards the east, you will arrive at Saint Sophia Cathedral. The spectacular cathedral has red brick walls as well as a murky green Russian dome and spires. The top of the church is often covered with a layer of snow which turns into a strikingly beautiful picture with the blue sky as a background.

The cathedral was built in 1907 by a Russian army division. It was originally a wooden structure specifically for the army, but brick walls were later included in it. After the reconstruction, the cathedral has become the largest Orthodox church in the Far East as well as an Orthodox seminary.

The cathedral was closed during the Great Leap Forward, which began in 1958. In the Cultural Revolution, it was severely damaged, and all sacred objects were lost. It even became a warehouse for a department store. In the 1980s, the conservation of the cathedral was taken more and more seriously, and it was turned into the Harbin Architectural Art Gallery.