The oldest Catholic Church in Beijing, the Southern Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, is located at 181 Qianmenxi Street in the Xuanwumen area. It was first erected in the middle of the 16th century on the former site of the Donglin party, a political clique active in the late Ming Dynasty.

When the Italian missionary Matteo Ricci came to China during the reign of Emperor Wanli, the emperor provided him with a residence which stood slightly to the west of the cathedral.

The cathedral was rebuilt in 1657 during the reign of Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty. A stone tablet, erected at the time and inscribed with"Cathedral Built by Imperial Order,"still stands in the church yard. The cathedral was severely damaged by earthquakes in 1775 and 1990, and was rebuilt in 1904 in its present form.

[source:ebeijing.gov.cn]