Showing 1-6 of 6 results
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Bongeunsa
Just north of the COEX Mall, the shrines and halls of this Buddhist temple are spread among a forested hillside and have a quieter, more secluded atmosphere than Jogyesa in Insadong, although somewhat marred by the car park. Founded in AD 794, the buildings have been rebuilt many times over the centuries. The oldest hall is Panjeon, constructed in 1856, which houses over 3000 150-year-old woodblocks with Buddhist scriptures and art carved into them.
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Cheondogyo Temple
On the outside the headquarters of this Korean fusion religion is a handsome baroque-style, red-brick and stone church with a tower and spire, but inside it looks like a plain meeting hall with a piano but no altar, statues or paintings. It was completed in 1921 and was used as a centre of opposition to Japanese rule. Cheondogyo is a home-grown creed containing Buddhist, Confucian and Christian elements that was started in 1860 by Choe Suun.
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Jeoldusan Martyrs Museum & Chapel
Jeoldusan means 'Beheading Hill' and is where up to 2000 Korean Catholics were executed in 1866 following a decree, signed by Regent Heungseon Daewongun (King Gojong's father), to kill all Catholics. The victims' bodies were thrown into the Han River and less than 40 of their names are known. A memorial to the martyrs, a garden, museum, memorial chapel and a statue of the first Korean priest, St Andrew Kim Dae-heon (1821-46) make up the site.
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Jogyesa
The largest Buddhist shrine in Seoul, Daeungjeon was built in 1938, but the design followed the late Joseon-dynasty style. Murals of scenes from Buddha's life and the carved floral latticework doors are two of its attractive features. You can follow the tradition of lighting a candle or incense stick and then walking around the seven-tiered pagoda to make a wish.
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Jongmyo & Changgyeonggung
Surrounded by dense woodland are the impressive buildings of Jongmyo, which house the spirit tablets of the Joseon kings and queens and some of their most loyal government officials. Their spirits are believed to reside in a special hole bored into the wooden tablets.
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Myeong-Dong Catholic Cathedral
This elegant brick Renaissance-style cathedral was constructed between 1894 and 1898 by Chinese bricklayers. Inside, the traditional vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows contrast with the modern air-conditioning and the TV screens that help worshippers at the back see what is going on.
Showing 1-6 of 6 results
