St Michael’s Church – Peking

One of the architectural masterpieces of the former Legation Quarter of Peking is St Michael’s Church (Catholic) on Dongjiaominxang (formerly Legation Street). It’s a lovely little church though sadly always shut up and largely inaccessible (unless someone leaves the gate open and you can sneak in). The church was originally under the management of the French Embassy near by and opened in 1904. Sadly the original stained glass windows are gone – destroyed either during the Cultural Revolution or just after when the building became a middle school for a time – stained glass in China rarely survives long!! The windows there now are cheap replacements with no craftsmanship.