Myeongdong Cathedral

Myeongdong Cathedral stands on the hill above Myeong-dong as the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul. It was Korea's first parish with a resident priest and the first church in the country built in the Gothic style. Climb the steps from the shopping streets and the red-brick tower appears, the quietest spot in Myeong-dong.

History: from persecution to cathedral

In 1784, after being baptised in Beijing, Yi Seung-hun returned and began a prayer group in the house of the interpreter Kim Beom-u in Myeongnyebang, today's Myeong-dong. This group, the starting point of the Catholic Church in Korea, was soon broken up by persecution, but about a hundred years later a church rose on the land around the site of the house.

Bishop Blanc bought the land in the name of a Korean believer, and work to level the hill began in 1887. King Gojong's government at first tried to stop the project, unhappy that the church would stand higher than the palace, but the cornerstone was laid on 5 August 1892. The French priest Eugène Coste oversaw the design and construction; after his death the church was consecrated on 29 May 1898. At the time it was the largest building in Seoul.

It was designated a Historic Site on 22 November 1977. In the 1970s and 1980s it became a centre of the democracy movement, and in 1987 around 600 students staged a hunger strike inside.

What to see

• Red-brick Gothic church: unlike most Gothic churches it is built of brick rather than stone, which gives it a warm colour. The high ceiling and the arches between the pillars show the Gothic style well.
• Crypt: holds the relics of martyrs, moved here in 1900; visitors can pay their respects quietly.
• Seongmo Dongsan (St Mary's garden): a small garden behind the cathedral, a good place to rest away from the noise of Myeong-dong.
• 1898 Plaza: a cultural space below the cathedral, with a bookshop among other facilities.

Did you know

• The martyrs whose relics lie in the crypt died in persecutions including that of 1866.
• A pipe organ was installed in 1924, but it was looted and lost during the Korean War.
• A cultural festival is held at the cathedral every May.
• The hill was known as Jonghyeon ("Bell Hill"), and the church was first named Jonghyeon Cathedral.
• The patroness of Korea is the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception, and the cathedral is dedicated to her under the same title.

Tripto tips

• Visiting hours: Tuesday to Saturday 09:00–19:00, Sunday 07:00–21:00; closed to visitors on Mondays.
• Mass in English: there is a Mass for foreigners on Sunday mornings; other services are in Korean.
• Getting there: about 600 m from Myeong-dong Station Exit 8 (Line 4) or from Euljiro 1-ga Station Exit 5 (Line 2).
• Etiquette: do not walk around or take photos inside during Mass, and dress modestly.
• Time needed: 30 minutes to 1 hour for the church, crypt and garden. It fits easily into a shopping day in Myeong-dong.