Myeongdong Cathedral

Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception 한국 천주교 서울대교구 주교좌 명동대성당
Myeongdong Cathedral
Basic information
Location	Seoul, South Korea
Geographic coordinates	37°33′48″N 126°59′14″E / 37.5633°N 126.9873°E / 37.5633; 126.9873Coordinates: 37°33′48″N 126°59′14″E / 37.5633°N 126.9873°E / 37.5633; 126.9873
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
District	Archdiocese of Seoul
Country	South Korea
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Cathedral
Architectural description
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1892
Completed	1898

The Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception, also known as Myeongdong Cathedral, is cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul. Located in the Myeongdong neighborhood of Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea, it is the cathedra, or seat, of the Latin Rite Archbishop of Seoul Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, the highest Roman Catholic prelate within Roman Catholicism in South Korea.

Dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the principal patron saint of Korea and the Korean people, the cathedral is a community landmark and a notable symbol of Catholicism in Korea. The cathedral church is one of the earliest and most notable examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Korea.

The original church was constructed with twenty types of locally fired red and gray bricks. The main building rises to 23m high, while the steeple, which contains a clock, rises to 45m. It was designated National Historic Site #258 on November 22, 1977.

The interior of the church is ornately decorated with religious artwork. Stained glass windows depict the Nativity of Jesus and Adoration of the Magi, Jesus with the Twelve Apostles, and the Fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary. The windows were restored to their original condition in 1982 by artist Lee Nam-gyu.