The Sacred Heart Cathedral is a large Catholic church in the centre of Xuzhou, its Gothic revival architecture standing out conspicuously against the surrounding Chinese streetscape. The building dates to the early twentieth century and was constructed by Italian Franciscan missionaries who established a significant presence in Jiangsu during the Republican period.
The cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Xuzhou and remains an active parish church. The interior is well-preserved, with vaulted ceilings and stained glass. It is open to visitors outside of service hours and makes a thought-provoking stop in a city otherwise associated with Han Dynasty antiquities — a reminder that Xuzhou's commercial importance attracted foreign merchants and missionaries for centuries. The cathedral is close to the downtown rail station and easy to combine with a walk through the old market streets.