Seoul(Jung-gu)

Yakhyeon Catholic Church was established as a result of Korea gaining religious freedom in the 23rd year of King Gojong’s reign (1886) and the subsequent increase of the Catholic population.In 1891, Myeongdong Cathedral's head priest Doucet laid down the foundation stone in Hap-dong. Coadjutor bishop Coste was in charge of design and construction and the building was eventually completed in 1892.The church was named after "Yakjeonhyeon" (藥田峴,), or a hill of medicinal herbs. This is because the place where the church is located was once a hilly area covered with medicinal herbs. Later on, "Yakjeonhyeon" was shortened to "Yakhyeon" and it became the name of the hilly area between Malli-dong and Seoul Station.Yakhyeon Catholic Church was the first Western-style church ever built in Korea. It's Gothic architecture features a 12m-wide and 32m-long cruciform construction with low arched windows and a pointed-arch entrance gate.


Seoul(Seocho-gu)

Located at the foot of Umyeonsan Mountain in Umyeon-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Gwanmunsa Temple had its ground-breaking ceremony in 1993 and construction was completed in October, 1998. The temple site has a total area 6,700 pyeong (22,148.76㎡) with 7 ground levels and 4 basement levels. The temple was constructed with a mixture of modern and traditional Buddhism architecture forms. Inside the temple, cutting-edge facilities are used for various cultural events, conferences, and sacred ceremonies. Located near Cheonggyesan Mountain, Umyeonsan Mountain, and Yangjaecheon Stream, the temple is near many natural spots visitors can enjoy. In particular, Umyeonsan Mountain (alt. 293m) where Gwanmunsa Temple is located gets its name as the mountain is shaped like a sprawling cow (the Chinese character 'U' (우) means cow). The temple site was chosen as it is considered an auspicious area. Designated as a City Park and managed by Seoul-si, Umyeonsan Mountain has several valleys with clear small fountains and a dense forest with a variety of animals and plants.


Seoul(Gwanak-gu)

Jaunam Hermitage was originally built in 1396 by Great Monk Muhak of Joseon Dynasty. It was renovated in 1734, and finally took shape of the hermitage we know today in 1976 when Monk Boryun added Daeungjeon Hall, Chilseonggak Pavilion, and Sansigak Pavilion. It is currently located in the famous Jahadong Valley on the Seoul National University campus.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

Situated in the gallery district in the back alley of Samcheong-dong (east of Gyeongbokgung Palace), the World Jewelry Museum houses 3,000 jewelry pieces from 60 countries, which have been collected over 30 years. Of which, 1,000 have been selected for display. The first floor contains an Amber Wall that goes back as far as 50 million years, the Golden Hall (El Dorado), the Necklace Hall, and the solemn Alter of the Cross. The second floor holds a mask wall, rings, beads and ivory as well as modern jewelry.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

Located inside Changdeokgung Palace, Huijeongdang Hall is a one-storey structure built in ikgong style (bird wing-shaped eaves placed on top of the pillars) with a hip tiled gable roof. It has 11 kans in the front and 4 kans to the sides (kan: a traditional unit of measurement referring to the space between two columns that is roughly 6 to 8 feet). During the latter period of the Joseon Dynasty, the hall was used as the king’s workplace. It is situated right in front of the palace’s residential hall called Daejojeon Hall. Originally built upon the foundation of Changdeokgung Palace, Huijeongdang Hall was destroyed by multiple fires during the battles of the Imjin War (Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592). It was rebuilt in 1834 but was burnt down again in 1917. The current structure is the one reconstructed in 1920. The frequent destruction and restoration of the hall account for the many changes that occurred in terms of the size and purpose of the building. The 9 kans in the front and 3 kans on the sides have been decorated into a living room with a Korean-style reception room on the left and a western-style reception room on the right. The rest of the building was used as hallways and other small rooms such as bathroom and cubicles. The hall's interior is decorated with foreign-made furniture as a result of the western influences at the time. The electricity installed in and outside the rooms is a change that took place during the last phase of the Korean empire. The original structure, however, had been strictly constructed according to the original palace building standards.


Seoul(Jung-gu)

Seoul Cathedral Anglican Church of Korea began construction under Mark Trollope, the third bishop of the Anglican Church of Korea, in 1922. It was designed by a English architect Arthor Dixon. Dedication ceremony of the church was held On May 2, 1926 when the construction work hadn't been completed yet. At that time, the church building was a 3-storey building with a 992 m² floor size. Later in 1993, the original blue print of the church was found at a library in England and the construction resumed and would be completed in 1996. The church building is a harmonious combination of Romanesque and traditional Korean style. The exterior of the church is shaped like a cross with various lines placed in harmony. Inside the cathedral, there are 12 stone columns symbolizing the 12 apostles, a mosaic of Jesus on the front wall, and a brass plate in commemoration of Mark Trollope. Under the brass plate, the remains of the bishop Mark Trollope are enshrined. * Size: B1-3F * Building site area: 519㎡ (157 pyeong), Ground area 909㎡ (275 pyeong)


Seoul(Gangseo-gu) , The Western Part of the Seoul

Guam Park is located in the area around Heogabawi Rock, a natural rock cave beneath Tapsan Mountain. It is said that Heo Seon-mun, the forefather of the Yangcheon Heo clan, was born here. The park was built to commemorate Heo Jun who is widely known as a saintly physician. Guam is his penname. It is said that after retirement, Heo Jun came to Heogabawi Rock to compile the famous medical book Dongui Bogam.A part of the Hangang River here was turned into a lake due to the construction of the Olympic Expressway and high-rise apartments surrounding the park. There is a statue of Heo Jun treating a patient and in the lake, there is a purple-colored rock with holes called Gwangju Rock. Before the construction of the Yanghwadaegyo Bridge, this area used to be where visitors would take a ferry (Gongam Ferry) to cross the other side.Heogabawi Rock, which is wide enough to accommodate about 20 men, is said to be where people took refuge there during wars, including the Imjin Waeran War, Byeongja Horan War, and the Korean War. Gwangju Rock and Heogabawi Rock is the site of Jechapaeui (the rock where rituals were offered to the God of the Earth and the God of Crops during the Hanseong Baekje period). This was also the first historical name given to this area.


Seoul(Jung-gu)

The four-way street right in front of the Seosomun Gate area was once an official execution ground in the Joseon Era. It was also called “Sigumun,” literally meaning “the gate where dead bodies were carried out.” The corpses travelling through the gate scared many people, alerting the public to keep away from criminal acts and actions against the royal regime. For the Catholic believers in Korea, Seosomun is considered to be one of the significant holy sites because many Catholic priests were martyred at this very site. Among 103 Korean martyrs, 44 were martyred here. In addition, a beatification was held here in 2014, blessing 124 people.


Seoul(Jongno-gu)

Gyeonggyojang House is located in Pyeong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. It is regarded as a historic site, and used to be an office and place of residence until Baekbeom Kim Koo, a leading figure during the Korean provisional government, was assassinated on June 26, 1949. He had previously returned from China in November, 1945. The house is one of three locations where activities critical to the foundation of a democratic government took place, prior to the government’s establishment (the other two are Lee Seungman's Ihwajang House and Kim Gyusik's Samcheongjang House).Choe Changhak, who gained money from a gold mine, built the Japanese-style Gyeonggyojang House covering a ground area of 5,237 ㎡ (1,584 pyeong) and a total floor area of 876 ㎡ (265 pyeong) from Basement Level 1 to Ground Floor 2 in 1938. Choe Changhak offered the house to Kim Koo as a place of residence at the time of Korean Independence on August 15. Its original name was Jukcheomjang, a Japanese name, and Kim Koo changed it to its current name, which derives from a nearby bridge. The Gyeonggyojang House has been owned by Kangbuk Samsung Medical Center (Formerly Goryeo Hospital) since 1968.


Seoul(Yongsan-gu)

Danggogae Catholic Martyrs' Shrine is located on the small hill just five minutes away from Yongsan Eletronics Market. 10 Catholics were martyred on this hill during the Gihae Persecution in 1839 including Choi Gyeong-hwan (Francis)'s wife Lee Seong-rye (Maria). Nine of the 10 martyrs are now recognized as saints. Lee Seong-rye, the mother of Father Thomas Choi Yang-eop (Korea's second ordained priest), has not yet been canonized although she did suffer martyrdom. The reason was that the mother briefly put aside her faith because of the pressures of raising five children after she had her oldest son Thomas. However, the difficulty of combining these two interests was eventually overcome and she died a martyr. Aside from serving as a memorial site, Danggogae Catholic Martyrs' Shrine also offers a commanding view of Seoul. Nearby tourist attractions include Saenamteo Catholic Holy Place of the Martyrs, which is a Catholic church with Korean architecture, and Yongsan Family Park.