Hyehwa-dong church, Catholic church in Hyehwa-dong, Seoul.
Hyehwa-dong Church is a church building in Seoul with a cubic design that creates a large, unified interior space rather than following traditional gothic cruciform shapes. The cubic structure allows clear sightlines and an unusual spatial flow for a religious building.
The building was founded in 1927 when the Benedictine Order departed, and was reconstructed in 1960 to accommodate a growing congregation. These two construction phases shaped its current form.
The church shows a shift in Korean religious architecture, blending Western Catholic design with local building traditions that visitors can feel when entering the space. This fusion gives the place its distinctive character today.
The church sits in a residential street and remains active with regular services, while also welcoming visitors interested in architecture and cultural heritage. Visiting during daytime hours is recommended so you can see the building properly lit and open.
Architect Lee Hui-tae used the cubic design to avoid traditional church divisions and instead create an open space where visitors can move freely throughout. This unconventional approach was highly innovative for Korea in the late 1920s.
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