With the completion of the Sino-Russian railway bringing an influx of Russians into Harbin, Orthodox churches were in high demand. Construction began on the St. Sophia Cathedral (Shèng Suǒfēiyà Jiàotáng, 圣索非亚教堂), or the Church of St. Sophia, in 1903 to meet the needs of the Russian Orthodox and to reinstate and unify their presence in the area during the Russo-Japanese War. Completed in 1907, the church was later expanded and renovated in 1923 and still stands proudly in Harbin's downtown today.

The church reflects Byzantine architecture and is a unique site in China. The building with its round, green-topped roof, appears as though it should be standing in Moscow, yet many Harbinites attend the daily religious activities, making this site not only an interesting piece of architecture, but also a holy place of worship in an unlikely location.

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