Historic Site 258: Myeongdong Cathedral - Seoul - Korean Historic Sites on Waymarking.com

The Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception is the seat of the Archbishop of Seoul. Finally open for services in 1898, construction encountered many delays including the First Sino-Japanese War. Originally known as the Jonghyeon Cathedral, during the Japanese occupation it was simply known as The Catholic Church. Today it is known as the Myeongdong Cathedral though the official name is now the Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception.

The following description is from the Cultural Heritage Administration website. Myeongdong Cathedral was designed by Fr. Coste and constructed with the financial support of the Paris Mission Society. It had originally been the residence of martyr Kim Beom-u and was later bought by Bishop Blanc under a Korean name, Kim Camillo. The construction was completed in 1898 following the signing of a commercial treaty between Korea and France in 1887. It is the first church in Korea to be built in bricks after the Gothic style. The floor plan shows a cross shape and the Mass Hall is 23m high and the tower 45m high. Although decorative elements have been excluded, it is a close assimilation of the Gothic style, though the Gothic quality can be felt more strongly on the inside rather than the outside of the building. The bricks used to build the cathedral are wholly Korean products. Twenty kinds of bricks were used and their colors are either red or gray. Skilful use of these bricks has resulted in a well-proportioned and beautiful building.

Type of Historic Site: Historic Site Official Designated Number: 258 Province or Metropolitan City: Seoul Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log   01/05/2024 lulu_et_compagnie visited it