Yang Jiaqiao Catholic Church, best known as Cathedral of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, is located to the west of the old Suzhou city. Its history can be traced back to the Qianlong Period (AD1736-1799) of the Qing Dynasty, when it was a private residence of a Catholic member and wealthy merchant surnamed Yin while serving as a gathering place for the Catholic members at that time. Following the 5th year of the Qiaqing reign, the residence was gradually functioned as the main Catholic church of the Suzhou diocese by overseeing all of the Catholic members within Suzhou. The church suffered destruction in the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign (AD1860), and later in the 5th year of the Tongzhi reign (AD1866), it underwent reconstruction thanks to the efforts by the fishermen in the parish. In the 18th year of the Guangxu reign (AD1892), the then church dean Dou Kexing bought a piece of 20 mu land behind the church, where a cathedral known as Cathedral of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows was established. The cathedral, now Yang Jiaqiao Catholic Church, underwent renovations in 1981 by the government and resumed religious activities since. In 1991, Yang Jiaqiao Catholic Church was listed as a municipally protected site by Suzhou Municipal Government.
Address: No.1162, Sanxiang Road, Suzhou
Tel: 0512-68657970
Admission: free of charge
Opening hours: 24h open
Getting there: take Line 1, Suzhou Rail Transit, and get off at Xihuanlu Station
take bus No. 2, bus No. 38, bus No.89, bus No. 303, bus No. 308, bus No. 312,or bus No.931
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