Xiamen D7 - First Church in China

I was surprised to learn that the oldest church building set up in China was in Xiamen Island! And just next to our hotel by the busiest streets of 中山路!

We had to visit them, of course.

The well-known 新街堂 was built in 1848 after the end of the first Opium War.

For 13 years, church activities were halted from 1966 to 1979 due to the Cultural Revolution, but the building reopened in August 1979. Then in 1982 the local government declared the church a protected historical location.

Re-construction works were all over the surrounding sites of the church, new shopping malls and development goes up, but gladly the church stays.