Myeongdong Cathedral

Myeongdong Cathedral is the national cathedral of the Archdiocese of Seoul, located in the Myeongdong neighborhood. It is a historic site and a symbol of the Catholic Church in Korea. The red-and-gray brick building rises 23 meters, with a 45-meter steeple containing a clock.

Don't miss

• High altar with a modernized statue of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, flanked by a ciborium and images of the Twelve Apostles
• Stained glass windows depicting the Nativity, Adoration of the Magi, Jesus with the Apostles, and the Fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary
• Crypt beneath the main altar containing relics of nine Korean martyrs, including Bishop Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert
• A French statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, erected in 1948, behind the church
• A grotto consecrated in 1960 and dedicated to Korean reunification

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Myeongdong Cathedral

Cheapest way inGyeongbokgung Palace Hanbok Rental Experience in Seoul4.1★ · 92 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$7 per personSee dates →Best full dayBest DMZ Tour Korea from Seoul (Suspension Bridge & JSA Museum)4.9★ · 47,835 travelers7-9 hoursFree cancellationFrom$50 per personSee dates →Private & flexibleSeoul Private Local Tour: Gyeongbokgung, Seochon & Market Tour5★ · 10 travelers5-6 hoursFree cancellationFrom$68 per personSee dates →

Getting there

Know before you go

• Catholic Mass for foreigners is offered on Sunday mornings; other services are in Korean.
• The cathedral was designated a historic site (No. 258) in 1977.

A bit of history

Christianity was persecuted during the Joseon period. After a 1882 treaty with the US, French priest Eugène Jean George Coste oversaw construction. Emperor Gojong initially opposed the cathedral, but the cornerstone was laid in 1892. It was dedicated in 1898 and was the largest building in Seoul at the time. The cathedral became a center for pro-democracy protests in the 1970s and 1980s, nicknamed the 'Mecca' of activists. Pope Francis presided over Mass there in 2014.