The simple and elegant design of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Hong Kong has witnessed the vicissitudes of Hong Kong society for more than a century. The Church of the Immaculate Conception was originally built on Wellington Street in 1843. The church was patronized by Zhu Rong in 1859, was severely burned, and was later rebuilt. In 1881, the church authorities purchased the site on Caine Road to build the current cathedral, considering that the neighbourhood was no longer suitable for religious gatherings. The church on Wellington Street was easily dismantled after being bought by a merchant in 1886. The current cathedral was held for the first time on December 7, 1888, on the eve of the Festival of the Immaculate Conception, and was officially opened for use the next day.