sketches around Seosomun Park and Yakhyeon Catholic Church

Seosomun Park (서소문 공원 ) is so called "Seosomun Martyrdom holy land (서소문 순교성지)" located in downtown Seoul. The park is now surrounded by lots of high rise buildings and is isolated between roads and railroads.  Many Christians were martyred on this site, where 44 Korean martyrs are buried, and the site is close to Yakhyeon Catholic Church (약현성당). Yakhyeon Catholic Church, built in 1892, was the first Gothic style brick structure in Korea, and the church is at the heart of Korean Catholic culture, including the Martyrs' Memorial Chapel. The Seoul Metropolitan Government seeks to connect the park with other martyr shrines so that the belt can serve as a tourist attraction and a pilgrimage route for Catholics.
I visited the holy place of martyrs from Seosomun Park to Yakhyeon Catholic Church with Seoul usk members, and sketched around the religious heritage reverently.

the scenery of Seosomun Park

the memorial tower for Catholic martyrs

statue of martyrs

front view of Yakhyeon Catholic Church

complete view of Yakhyeon Catholic Church

side view of the Martyrs' Memorial Chapel

The Martyrs' Memorial Chapel

neighboring buildings viewed from Yakhyeon Catholic Church

the surrounding scenery viewed from Seosomun Park

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pen and watercolor, ( 21 x 29.6cm sketchbook )

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약현성당에서 스케치는 자주 했지만~~ 서소문 순교 성지와 함께 스케치 순례를 하면서 새로웁고도 더 많은 역사와 공간을 체험하는 계기가 되어서 보람이 있었습니다. 앞으로 서소문공원 일대의 역사관광 명소로 변하게 될 모습을 상상하면서... 오늘의 도시에 충실한 스케치가 내일의 역사의 장을 빛내어 가기 바랍니다. 처음 나오신 신선하고 젊은 분들을 환영합니다!!