Myeongdong Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception 천주교 서울대교구 주교좌 명동대성당 | |
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Religion | |
Affiliation | Catholic Church |
District | Archdiocese of Seoul |
Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral |
Location | |
Location | Seoul, South Korea |
Geographic coordinates | 37°33′48″N 126°59′14″E / 37.5633°N 126.9873°E |
Architecture | |
Type | Church |
Style | Gothic Revival |
Groundbreaking | 1892 |
Completed | 1898 |
The Cathedral Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Latin: Ecclesia Cathedralis Nostrae Dominae Immaculatae Conceptionis; Korean: 천주교 서울대교구 주교좌 명동대성당),[1] informally known as Myeongdong Cathedral (명동대성당), is the national cathedral of the Archdiocese of Seoul. Located in the Myeongdong neighbourhood of Jung District, Seoul, South Korea, it is the seat of the Archbishop of Seoul, Peter Chung Soon-taick.
The shrine is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Immaculate Conception honored as the principal Patroness of Korea by a pontifical decree accorded by Pope Gregory XVI in 1841. The cathedral serves as a community landmark, tourist attraction, and a notable symbol of Catholic Church in Korea. The South Korean government declared the cathedral as a historic site (No. # 258) on 22 November 1977.