Church of St. Sophia
St. Sophia Orthodox Church is one of the most imposing architectures of Harbin. In 1903, with the completion of the Sino-Russia railway, connecting Vladivostok to northeast China, the Russian No.4 Army Division arrived in this region. After Russia's shameful failure against the Japanese in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), a plan to reconsolidate the confidence of the army by building an imposing spiritual symbol was proposed. The church was completed in 1907. Expansion and renovation started in 1923, being finally completed to what it is today.
he 53m tall church is a perfect example of Byzantine architecture: The main structure is laid out as a Latin Cross with the main hall topped with a huge green tipped roof. Under the bright sun, the church, together with the square around it, reminds one of the Red Square in Moscow.
Although there are still several hundred Orthodox believers in Harbin, the religious activities are usually conducted in other smaller churches. St. Sofia Church is nowadays used as the Municipal Architecture and Art Museum with exhibitions of the architectural history of the city, a photographic survey with captions all in Chinese.