Saenamteo, Catholic church in Seoul, South Korea

Saenamteo is a Catholic church in Yongsan, Seoul, featuring stained glass windows that depict scenes from the lives of those who died for their faith, along with a memorial shrine. The building includes a museum with historical objects and several spaces dedicated to remembrance.

Saenamteo was a sandy execution ground outside Hanyang's walls from the early Joseon period. In 1456 the Six Martyred Ministers died there for plotting to restore Danjong. During the persecutions of 1801, 1839, 1846 and 1866, eleven Catholic priests were beheaded on the site, among them the Chinese priest Zhou Wen-mo, Bishop Imbert and his companions, and Andrew Kim Taegon, Korea's first native priest.

The name Saenamteo comes from Saenamuteo, meaning a place of trees and sawgrass, or from Sanamgi, the Sino-Korean rendering of Nodeul. The church is maintained by the Clerical Congregation of the Blessed Korean Martyrs, which has cared for the site since 1957. A memorial hall opened in the church basement in 2006 displays relics of nine Korean Martyrs.

The site is located near the Han River and welcomes visitors during regular opening hours to walk around and explore. The grounds are well-maintained with clear paths, and you can move freely through the museum and memorial areas at your own pace.

The church's basement was converted in 2006 into a memorial hall displaying relics of nine Korean Martyrs; the building itself, designed by architect Park Tae-yeon, reproduces a multi-storey hanok with tiled roof and dancheong painting over concrete.