Myeongdong Cathedral

The seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul and the mother church of Korean Catholicism, rising in red and grey brick above the busy Myeongdong shopping district. Completed in 1898, it was the country's first large Gothic Revival building, its tall spire long a landmark on the city skyline. Beyond its religious role, the cathedral became a symbolic sanctuary and rallying point for democracy and labor movements during the authoritarian era. Its soaring nave, stained glass, and crypt of early bishops draw both worshippers and visitors.