St. Michael's Cathedral stands in the old German quarter of Qingdao, its twin towers rising above a tight grid of red roofs and sloping streets. Completed in the 1930s, the cathedral is one of the clearest reminders that Qingdao's modern cityscape was shaped by European colonial planning as well as Chinese port life.
The church is photogenic from the outside and atmospheric inside when it is open, with a scale that feels unexpectedly grand for the surrounding lanes. It pairs naturally with the Governor's Residence, the Protestant Church, and a walk through the old town streets below Signal Hill.