Country India Membership 300 Founded 8 December 2000 | Denomination Syro-Malabar Website www.rajkotdiocese.org Status Cathedral | |
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Location Kalawad Road, Rajkot, Gujarat Diocese Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Rajkot Province Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gandhinagar Similar Taj Mahal, Humanyun Mosque, Arignar Anna Zoologica, Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, Taraporewala Aquarium | ||
The Sacred Heart Cathedral is a cathedral of the Syro-Malabar Catholic rite in Rajkot. It is also known as Prem Mandir, meaning 'temple of love' in Hindi and Gujarati. The cathedral, which is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is situated near the bishop's house.
The striking aspect of the cathedral is its architecture which predominantly resembles a traditional Indian temple, but in fact blends architectural features of various religions. The cathedral was designed by Ashwinbhai Sanghvi and the glass work was done by Balan. It has domes and a pinnacle, and its arches and granite carvings are inspired by Indian mosques. There is a mosaic of Jesus seated in a meditation pose above a lotus like an Indian holy man. The symbols depicted on the windows and doors are flame, flute and lotus. Each of the church's five domes is engraved with symbols of other religions. An oriental-style cross on a lotus flower stands atop the main dome.