The Société des Missions Étrangères de Paris obtained the site of Sacred Heart Cathedral through an agreement with the Qing government on January 25, 1861. Léon Vautrin and Charles Hyacinthe Humbert, both from Nancy, designed it in the Gothic Revival style. Napoleon III gave major funding, including a personal grant of 500,000 francs. Foundation work began on June 28, 1861, and the cathedral was finished in 1888 after 25 years, all built by hand.
It is built entirely of granite from the Four Hills of Kowloon. The facade was modeled on the Basilica of St. Clotilde in Paris, and the nave and apse on Toul Cathedral. The nave is 253 feet (77.17 meters) long, and the twin towers rise 173 feet (52.76 meters).
The article calls it the largest Gothic-style cathedral in China and Southeast Asia. The 2004 to 2006 restoration cost 26 million yuan.
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