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Houses of Worship
Home » China » Shanghai - Activities and Attractions » Houses of WorshipUnlike Beijing, China’s other most visited city, Shanghai has a wildly varied religious history. The flocks of settlers brought not only their business during the colonial period, they brought their religions, and many of them built their own houses of worship.
One of the most notable came from Shanghai’s Jewish Community. The city experienced several waves of Jewish immigration, and many of those newcomers were wildly successful traders. They built some of Shanghai’s signature buildings, including the world-famous Peace Hotel (formerly the Cathay Hotel), built by British citizen (by way of Baghdad) Victor Sassoon.
One of Shanghai’s most interesting points of history came with the influx of Jews fleeing Hitler’s regime in the 1940s. To avoid killing them (as Hitler desired), the Japanese occupants forced them to live together in a “designated area” in Shanghai’s Hongkou District. Thousands upon thousands of Jews lived in this ghetto together under miserable conditions, and the local synagogue became their gathering place. You can visit the Ohel Moshe Synagogue, which was built in 1927 to tour the museum and view the fascinating history of Shanghai’s Jewish community.
For traditional Buddhist temples, Shanghai has two of particular note: the Jade Buddha Temple and the Longhua Temple. There are also several European-style churches in the city.
Related Shanghai - Activities and Attractions Articles
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- The Bund
- Museums
- Houses of Worship
- Yu Yuan Gardens and the Old Chinese City
- Other Significant Activities