Sightseeing - Korea travel and tourism information

Danggogae Catholic Martyrs' Shrine (당고개순교성지)

2020-03-18

139-26, Cheongpa-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
+82-2-711-0933

Danggogae Catholic Martyrs' Shrine is located on the small hill just five minutes away from Yongsan Eletronics Market. 10 Catholics were martyred on this hill during the Gihae Persecution in 1839 including Choi Gyeong-hwan (Francis)'s wife Lee Seong-rye (Maria).

Nine of the 10 martyrs are now recognized as saints. Lee Seong-rye, the mother of Father Thomas Choi Yang-eop (Korea's second ordained priest), has not yet been canonized although she did suffer martyrdom. The reason was that the mother briefly put aside her faith because of the pressures of raising five children after she had her oldest son, Thomas. However, the difficulty of combining these two interests was eventually overcome and she died a martyr.

Aside from serving as a memorial site, Danggogae Catholic Martyrs' Shrine also offers a commanding view of Seoul. Nearby tourist attractions include Saenamteo Catholic Holy Place of the Martyrs, which is a Catholic church with Korean architecture, and Yongsan Family Park.

Memorial Tower of Baengmagoji Battlefield and Memorial Museum (백마고지 위령비와 기념관)

2024-10-17

72, Daema 1-gil, Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-450-5559

Located in the northern area of South Korea, Baengmagoji Battlefield was one of the bloodiest battlefields during the Korean War. The communist Chinese army launched a major offensive attack for 10 days on October 6, 1952 during the Battle of Baengmagoji, which can be translated into the Battle of White Horse Highlands. Due to this battle, the communist Chinese army suffered around 14,000 casualties and the army completely collapsed while the 9th Infantry Division won the Battle of Baengmagoji and got the nickname “White Horse.”

After the battle, the area gave off a bad smell because of the dead bodies. The mountain area lost its original shape due to the severe battle and as a result the area was named “Baengmagoji” as it was said to resemble a white horse (baengma) lying down.

Uidonggyegok Valley (우이동계곡)

2021-06-09

Ui-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul
+82-2-909-0497

Uidonggyegok Valley is located between Bukhansan Mountain and Dobongsan Mountain, and is a popular retreat for locals. Near the entrance to the valley are accommodations, a playground, wedding hall, and other amenities. Clean water runs through the valley, and is lined with restaurants. The hiking path starting to the left of the valley entrance passes Doseonsa Temple on the way to Insubong Peak. The hiking path through the valley is quite difficult, but leads to Uiam Hermitage, and further to Dobongsan Mountain along the ridge. Additional temples in the area include Seongbulsa, Yongdeoksa, Seonunsa, and Gwangmyeongsa Temples.

Kalbongsan Recreational Forest (칼봉산자연휴양림)

2021-03-26

454, Gyeongbanan-ro, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do
+82-31-8078-8061

Kalbongsan Recreational Forest is located between Gyeongbangyegok Valley, famous for Surakpokpo Falls, and Yongchugyegok Valley, famous for Yongchupokpo Falls. The forest is a popular summer vacation spot for families due to the pure natural environment. Kalbongsan Mountain also provides many trekking paths.

Gildong Ecological Park (길동생태공원)

2021-10-23

1291, Cheonho-daero, Gangdong-gu, Seoul
+82-2-489-2770

Gildong Ecological Park was founded by the Seoul government by restoring the wetland on the side of Cheonho-daero. The park maintains and preserves a wide range of flora and fauna in their natural habitats, allowing park visitors to observe plants, animals and insects in a natural ecosystem, and to learn about the importance of nature conservation.

The 80,683 ㎡ park is divided into a wetland zone, forest zone, and grassland zone. Amenities include an outdoor classroom, outdoor exhibition space, observation deck, pergolas, and more. The bird observation platform in particular is a great way to birdwatch in the urban landscape.

Hyosajeong Pavilion (효사정)

2025-01-13

55, Hyeonchung-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul
+82-2-820-9848

Hyosajeong Pavilion is where Nohan, the second vice premier of the Joseon dynasty during King Sejong and King Sejo’s reign, stayed. After he lost his mother, he built the pavilion to mourn at her grave while still being able to see his father’s grave in Gaeseong to the North. His brother-in-law, then Minister of the Interior, Gang Sa-deok named the pavilion “Hyosajeong,” which means pavilion of filial piety.

In order to find the original location of the pavilion, poems by Jeong Inji and Seo Geojeong and an old map of Korea were referenced, but the pavilion was not found because the surrounding landscape had changed too much. As a result, a location was selected and the pavilion was reconstructed at its current location. The house is 3 kan* in the front and 2 kan* on the side. The roof is a hip-and-gable roof. The pavilion has one room with under floor heating and a railing around the pavilion

(* kan: a traditional measurement that corresponds to the space between two columns)

Samseongsan Holy Ground (삼성산성지)

2021-08-17

454-16, Hoam-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul
+82-2-875-2271

During the Gihae Persecution of 1839, three French Catholic priests were sentenced to death for spreading Catholicism in Korea. Saint Laurent Joseph Marius Imbert (Bishop), Saint Pierre Philibert Maubant (Priest), and Saint Jacques Honore Chastan (Priest) were beheaded on September 21, 1839 at Saenamteo, currently known as the Saenamteo Catholic Holy Place of the Martyrs, and their bodies were buried at Samseongsan Mountain and later transferred to the grotto of Myeondong Cathedral.

Saenamteo Catholic Holy Place of the Martyrs (새남터기념성당)

2020-03-31

80-8, Ichon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
+82-2-716-1791

When taking the subway from Seoul Station to Yongsan Station, you will notice a tall and distinct hanok (traditional Korean architecture) building; this is Saenamteo Catholic Holy Place of the Martyrs. Construction of the building began in 1984, the year of the 200th anniversary of Catholicism in Korea, and was completed after three years.

Also called "Nodeul" and "Sanamgi," Saenamteo was used as a military training ground during the early Joseon period. It was also the place where convicted felons and the Sayuksin (the six martyred ministers) were executed.

Many Catholics were executed here during the Sinyu Persecution of 1801, the Gihae Persecution of 1839, the Byeongo Persecution of 1846, and the Byeongin Persecution of 1866. Among those executed were 11 priests including the first Korean priest Kim Taegon (Andrew), the first Chinese priest that came to Korea Ju Mun Mo (Jacobus), the first French priest that came to Korea Bishop Imbert and other Catholics including Hyeon Seok-mun. There is also an altar here where the remains of nine Catholic saints are enshrined.

Seoul Yakhyeon Catholic Church (서울 약현성당)

2020-03-26

447-1, Cheongpa-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-362-1891

Yakhyeon Catholic Church was established as a result of Korea gaining religious freedom in the 23rd year of King Gojong’s reign (1886) and the subsequent increase of the Catholic population. In 1891, Myeongdong Cathedral's head priest Doucet laid down the foundation stone in Hap-dong. Coadjutor bishop Coste was in charge of design and construction and the building was eventually completed in 1892. The church was named after "Yakjeonhyeon," or a hill of medicinal herbs. This is because the place where the church is located was once a hilly area covered with medicinal herbs. Later on, Yakjeonhyeon was shortened to Yakhyeon and it became the name of the hilly area between Malli-dong and Seoul Station.

Yakhyeon Catholic Church was the first Western-style church ever built in Korea. It's Gothic architecture features a 12-meter-wide and 32-meter-long cruciform construction with low arched windows and a pointed-arch entrance gate.

Seoul Gwanmunsa Temple (관문사(서울))

2021-06-01

111, Baumoe-ro 7-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3460-5300

Located at the foot of Umyeonsan Mountain in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Gwanmunsa Temple had its ground-breaking ceremony in 1993 and construction was completed in October 1998.

The temple site has a total area of 22,148.76 ㎡ with seven ground levels and four basement levels. The temple was constructed with a mixture of modern and traditional Buddhist architectural designs. Inside the temple, cutting-edge facilities are used for various cultural events, conferences, and sacred ceremonies.

Neighbored by Cheonggyesan Mountain, Umyeonsan Mountain, and Yangjaecheon Stream, the temple is located near many natural spots visitors can enjoy. In particular, Umyeonsan Mountain (alt. 293 m), where Gwanmunsa Temple is located, gets its name for its shape resembling a cow lying down. Designated as a city park and managed by Seoul Metropolitan Government, Umyeonsan Mountain has several valleys with clear spring waters and a dense forest inhabited by diverse animals and plants.

Sightseeing - Korea travel information