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St. Sophia Church in Harbin is the largest Eastern Orthodox Church in the Far East, first constructed in March, 1907 by Russian Troops. On September 27, 1923, planned by a well-known Russian architect, it began to be rebuilt. This lasted about 9 years until 1932. The style of construction was greatly affected by the style of Byzantine.
Until the 1960's, the bell tower over the entrance housed 7 bells of different sizes and tones. When there were religious festivals in the past, a well-trained ringer would play musical progressions, tolling the bells with ropes tied to his hands and feet.
By the mid 1990's, St. Sophia had declined. The church was no longer was in use, and magnificent Russian painted murals that adorned the church's arched walls were destroyed. In 1997, the Harbin government under took restoration. The original Russian murals were lost completely and have been replaced by new murals showing the architectural history of the Harbin community. Now, the artwork, pendent lamps, dome murals and the bell tower are restored to their original splendor.
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