3. Sacred Heart Cathedral Sacred Heart Cathedral in Guangzhou, also known as the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, or Shishi Catholic Church, is regarded as the ‘Notre Dame of East Asian’. Located at Yide Road near the Haizhu Square in the city center, this 130-year-old Roman Catholic cathedral is a holy and peaceful site in the bustling urban area. The cathedral was designed by two French architects, and completed by Chinese craftsmen within 25 years from 1863 to 1888. With a gross area of 3,300 square yards (2,754 square meters), it is the biggest in Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Guangzhou and one of the grandest double steeples Gothic architectures in China. Featuring all of the walls and pillars made of granite, the Sacred Heart Cathedral is nicknamed the ‘Stone House’ (Shishi in Chinese) by the locals. It is the largest granite Catholic structure in Southeast Asia, and one of only four all-granite Gothic churches in the world. The original site of Sacred Heart Cathedral was the residence of viceroy of Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces in the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). In 1856, it was destroyed during the war. At that time, Bishop Philippe (the first vicar apostolic of Guangdong) made full use of this opportunity to occupy this place. The purpose was to construct a Catholic cathedral. Finally, he was allowed to be in charge of the construction work. Philippe invited two French architects to design the cathedral and began construction on June 28, 1863. Location: 4. Huaisheng Mosque (Remember the Sage Mosque) The Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou, also named the Light Tower Mosque or the Lighthouse Mosque, is located at No. 56, Guangta Road. With an area of 3,547 square yards (2,966 square meters), it is the oldest mosque existing in China, confirming its remarkable position among the four oldest mosques in the coastal areas, with the other three being Quanzhou Kylin Mosque, Yangzhou Crane Mosque, and Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque. Huaisheng Mosque was first built in 627, during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), when Islam was introduced to China for the first time. It was invested and constructed by some Arabs and named as Huaisheng Mosque, meaning ‘remembering the sage’, in honor of Islamic prophet Muhammad. Generally speaking, Huaisheng Mosque maintains its original Arab architecture style. Walking into a narrow entrance, a screen wall can be seen, which prevents visitors from seeing the inner courtyard. But passing through the screen wall, the quaint buildings come into view. Location: