Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul

eABC November 09, 2023

Myeongdong Cathedral, located in the center of downtown Seoul, is a cathedral in the Daegyo-gu, Seoul, and symbolizes the existence of the Korean Catholic Church. In 1784, Korea's first religious community gathered here, named Myeongnaebang.

Myeongdong Cathedral

In 1894, Father Coste began making plans for the construction of the church, and on May 29, 1898, the church was built with the perfect conception of Our Lady as its patron.

In 1900, the remains of martyrs who died from persecution in 1839 and 1866 were moved from Yongsan Seminary to Myeongdong Cathedral's basement.

In 1942, Father Lee Ki-joon, the first Korean parish priest, was appointed as pastor in Myeongdong, and the first Korean bishop, Bishop Noginam, was appointed as bishop there.

On Liberation Day in 1945, the name of the cathedral was changed from Chonghyeon to Myeongdong, and in the 1970s and 1980s, Myeongdong Cathedral became the center of Korea's democratization movement and played an important role in promoting human rights.

Currently, Myeongdong Cathedral is constantly approaching the global community through prayers and missions. Myeongdong Cathedral is Korea's first brick church built in a Gothic style. Myeong-dong Cathedral, designated as Historic Site No. 258, has considerable historical value in its architecture. The floor plan of the church is a Latin cross, with a central and two side aisles, and the roof of the church is 23 metres high. The bell tower is 45 meters tall. The architecture retains its pure Gothic style without any decoration.

Is Myeongdong Cathedral worth visiting?

Myeongdong Cathedral is a symbol of Korean Catholic and a place of worship. Visit this church to experience the spirit and kindness of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul, and to admire its charming architectural design.