The Hong Kong Catholic Cathedral of The Immaculate Conception
天主教聖母無原罪主教座堂
1888, Religious 宗教建築
Hidden in the concrete jungle, The Hong Kong Catholic Cathedral of The Immaculate Conception is the largest Roman Catholic Church in Hong Kong. The 1842 old cathedral in Wellington Street was the oldest one in Hong Kong. In 1888, the Cathedral was built on Caine Road at Mid-Levels opposite to Bishop's House built by Anglican Church Hong Kong and just a few blocks away from the Government House. The location reflected the close relationship between Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church and the colonial government. Compared to St. John’s Cathedral, The Hong Kong Catholic Cathedral of The Immaculate Conception is more of a Gothic architecture – built in the Gothic Revival style, the Cathedral has various typical Gothic features including flying buttresses, pinnacles, pointed arch lancet windows and 38 tall stone columns. With a rising of over 20 meters, the Cathedral fully demonstrates the core concept of Gothic architecture in having a conversation with God through the use of sunlight and verticality. After years of development, the Cathedral is now surrounded by Catholic buildings including schools and diocese centres. It serves as the heart of the Catholic Compound that gathers strength and faith of the Catholics in the city.
如果不是天主教徒、又不愛八卦，大家可能就錯過了藏身樓叢中的「大堂」。聖母無原罪主教座堂，是羅馬天主教香港教區最大的聖堂，於1842年威靈頓街建立的舊堂更是香港教區第一所聖堂。自1888年，它聳立於半山堅道，與聖公會會督府彼鄰雙望，離較遠的政府山、港督府也只是數街之隔，正正反映羅馬天主教與聖公會及殖民地政府的密切關係。相比聖約翰座堂，大堂把新哥德式建築發揮得更淋漓，飛扶壁、尖塔、尖拱彩玻璃花窗、38根高挑石柱、20多米高的空間，盡顯哥德式利用光與豎性建築建立與神的對話的特色。盡管隨著教會的發展，大堂被學校、教區中心等教會建築包圍著，但它並沒有被埋沒，反而成為這教會建築羣的心臟，凝聚信徒的力量和信念。
文及攝影：洪彬芬 (香港註冊建築師)
http://www.etnet.com.hk/www/tc/diva/art_hkac_detail.php?id=29060&page=1
