WanghailouChurchstands at Qiaokou of Shizilin (woods of lions) in Hebei District,TianjinCity.
The church was a Catholic Church built at the request of a French missionary, Xie Fuyin in 1896. Considered as a haven for orphans and young children, the church, in fact, caused great harm to Chinese children. In June 1870, angry residents ofTianjinCityswarmed to the church to find out why the church abused scores of children, sometimes beating them to death. As a result, the French consul shotTianjinCounty Magistrate Liu Jie, injuring his retinue. The people ofTianjin, in turn, beat up the consul and his secretary and burned down the church, including other French, English and American churches, and the French consul's office. The incident is known today as the Tianjin Church Incident.
In 1893, imperialists used the indemnity to rebuildWandhailouChurchand other churches. During the Boxer Uprising in 1900, the church was once again destroyed. The existing church was rebuilt for the third time in 1904.
Facing southward,WanghailouChurchis a 56-by-15 meter post and panel structure. At the front are three tower buildings, 22 meters high and shaped like penholders. Two interior posts reflect the typical style of the French Catholic church.
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