Missionary Wilson's House (우일선 선교사 사택) - Area information - Korea travel information

Missionary Wilson's House (우일선 선교사 사택)

Missionary Wilson's House (우일선 선교사 사택)

10.6Km    14512     2019-11-12

20, Jejung-ro 47beon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-607-2333

Missionary Wilson’s House is a two-story brick building that sits upon the eastern foothills of Yangnimsan Mountain. Known as the oldest surviving Western-style house in Gwangju, the house is an icon of modern culture and architecture in Korea. The house was built by an American missionary named Wilson in the 1920s (exact date unknown) and was the home of the Wilson family while they stayed in Korea. When the family completed their work in Korea, they sold the house for a very cheap price with the stipulation that the house continued to be used for missionary purposes. The house fell into the possession of the General Assembly of Chonnam Presbyterian Church of Korea in 1986 and now serves as the home office for the Presbyterian Church of Korea.

The square-shaped house consists of a living room, a family room, a kitchen, and a bathroom (1F), several bedrooms (2F), and storage areas and a boiler room (B1). The fact that the entrance of the house faces east is said to be a result of the prevailing architectural culture of Korea at that time. A Netherland-style house built with 55-milimeter thick, gray bricks, the first and second stories are delineated on the exterior with an eye-catching band of bricks.

Arie-ne guesthouse[Korea Quality] / 아리네 게스트하우스[한국관광 품질인증]

Arie-ne guesthouse[Korea Quality] / 아리네 게스트하우스[한국관광 품질인증]

10.7Km    1546     2024-07-24

6 , Cheonbyeonjwa-ro 428beon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-10-2104-8899

Ariene Guesthouse is an integrated cultural platform located in Yangrim-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju. The accomodation is located in the downtown area of Gwangju, making it both easily accessible and affordable. On the first basement floor, there is Yanglim Culture Hall, a lounge cafe on the first floor, and a rooftop party room on the fourth floor. The guesthouse has nine rooms on the second and third floors, including double rooms, twin rooms, ondol rooms, and separate dormitory rooms for men and women. Each room is equipped with a bathroom for guests' convenience, and breakfast is provided at no charge. A fee is charged for laundry services. There are modern cultural and historic sites nearby.

Lee Jang-woo's House (이장우 가옥)

Lee Jang-woo's House (이장우 가옥)

10.7Km    15224     2021-12-16

21, Yangchon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-607-2333

Designated the first Gwangju Folk Material on March 20, 1989, Lee Jang-woo's House is an upper-class, tile-roofed house with a gate, storeroom, servants’ quarters, detached building, and main building. The building is estimated to have been constructed in 1899 and is overall a sturdy example of Korean architecture, well-preserved in its original state. The L-shaped main hall of the historic building is rather large and consists of (left to right) a wooden verandah, a small room, a hall, the main room, a kitchen, and another small room. The room doors are double doors with a sliding door on the inside and a hinged door on the outside. The hall also has partitions that can be hung up as necessary.

Gwangju Chungjang Festival (광주 추억의 충장축제)

Gwangju Chungjang Festival (광주 추억의 충장축제)

10.7Km    26826     2023-11-28

1 Seonam-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-608-4681

Every October, Gwangju Chungjang Festival takes place around the area of Chungjang-ro, a representative street in Gwangju where old history and fast changes exist together. The festival's main event, Chungjang World Parade, includes floats with various themes from the 13 districts of Gwangju. The street is recreated in various stages of changes between the 70s and the early 2000s. Visitors can also enjoy tea at old-style cafes or take black-and-white photos at a photo studio.

Han Hee-won Art Museum (한희원미술관)

10.7Km    0     2023-01-25

27-6, Yangchon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-653-5435

Han Hee-won Art Museum is a small hanok art museum in the back alley of Yangnim-dong.
Painter Han Hee-won grew up in Yangnim-dong, where he was influenced as a painter. In July 2015, he purchased a small hanok between the House of Yi Jang-u and the House of Choe Seunghyo and transformed it into an art museum to preserve and show the spirit of love, comfort, and art in his hometown, Yangnim-dong. An art museum with a low threshold approaching citizens with a humble mind, Han Hee-won Art Museum is open to anyone. Feel free to visit, appreciate the paintings, and be comforted through art.

House of Choi Seung-hyo (최승효가옥)

House of Choi Seung-hyo (최승효가옥)

10.8Km    13825     2023-03-08

29-4, Yangchon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-607-2332

The House of Choi Seung-hyo is a traditional residential building located on the southeastern slopes of Yangnimsan Mountain. The rectangular building is open to the east, has 8 kan (the space between two pillars) in the front and 4 kan to the sides, and is graced by a traditional hipped and gabled roof. Since the building was constructed in the 1920s, it offers a valuable glimpse into the architectural style of Korean houses at the end of the Japanese colonial period. Choi Sang-hyeon was an activist who offered his attic as a place of refuge for other activists.

Yangnim-dong Missionary Cemetery (양림동 선교사 묘지)

Yangnim-dong Missionary Cemetery (양림동 선교사 묘지)

10.8Km    14519     2021-05-28

77, Jejung-ro, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-607-2333

The Yangnim-dong Missionary Cemetery is the final resting place of 23 missionaries who brought Christianity to Gwangju and led the movement to free the nation from under Japanese colonial rule. Yangnim-dong in Gwangju Metropolitan City was the main area in which Priest Bae Yu-ji and Dr. Clement Owen carried out their work as the first missionaries to Jeollanam-do.


Located nearby is a monument dedicated to Priest Bae Yu-ji and the Owen Memorial Building, built in honor of Dr. Owen and his grandfather. Both memorials are cultural assets and particularly prized by locals of the Christian faith.

Gwangju Sajik Park (사직공원 (광주))

Gwangju Sajik Park (사직공원 (광주))

10.9Km    28029     2022-08-05

49, Sajik-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-652-3236

Sajik Park is located at the previous site of Sajikdan Altar, a ritual site to pray for peace and prosperity during the Three Kingdoms Era. In the 1960s, the site was home to Sajik Zoo, with the ritual being abandoned in 1894 and the altar in disrepair. However, in 1991, it was decided to move the zoo to another location and begin restoring the site. It was reopened in April 1994, 100 years after the last ritual.

Sajik Park is landscaped with various trees and flower beds. The park blooms pink and white with cherry blossoms annually in mid-April. During this time, the municipality of Gwangju installs lighting in the trees for citizens to enjoy the blossoms late into the night. The park has become established as a favorite rest area for Gwangju citizens. The park houses several attractions including Gwangju Broadcast Station (KBS), Memorial Tower for Policemen, Yangpajeong Pavilion, and Palgakjeong Pavilion overlooking downtown Gwangju.

YangDongHo Traditional House (Hanok 152) [Korea Quality] / 양참사댁(양동호 가옥 / 한옥152) [한국관광 품질인증]

YangDongHo Traditional House (Hanok 152) [Korea Quality] / 양참사댁(양동호 가옥 / 한옥152) [한국관광 품질인증]

10.9Km    173     2020-12-10

24, Darasil-gil, Hwasun-gun, Jeollanam-do
+82-10-9646-5087

Yangchamsadaek (Yangdongho’s former name) or National Cultural Property No. 152 is a traditional hanok accommodation. Dalasil Village, Hwasun, Jeollanam-do, where the house is located, is a town with traditional houses and fields, where interestingly those who have the surname of Jeju Yang live together. Yangchamsadaek is a typical noble's house in the southern region with the ㄷ-shaped main building and the ㅡ-shaped detached building form the ㅁ shale. It is expected that the main building was built in the 18th century and the detached building at the end of 19th century. In 2013, the current owner has taken over the antique house and started running a hanok stay, and his daughter, Jo A-ae, a curator and culture planner, added modern touches to turn it into a culture complex, Hanok 152. The wide lawn is sometimes rented for music performance, traditional wedding, or outdoor wedding, and other times it serves as a venue of one-day classes for hanbok experience, Korean food experience, etc. As for rooms, there are four options: big room and small room in Anchae (main building), and Daecheong room and bed room in Sarangchae (detached building). The rooms are decorated with traditional cabinets and folding screens with embroidery, displaying the beauty of an antique house. The main floor, which is much bigger than that of other houses, has been renovated by the owner. The main floor in the main building, with a comfortable sofa and a rug, is modern and luxurious, whereas the main floor in the detached building is cozy with a floor table and Korean cushions. Toiletries are not available in the bathroom but provided upon request to the information desk. Space rental is also available. Various events such as traditional wedding, small wedding, first birthday celebration, 70th birthday celebration, small workshop, or one-day class can be held here. Moreover, traditional hanbok experience is always available at 15,000 won per person. Korean food experience is notified on Instagram and requires reservation. As the cost varies depending on the number of participants and the date, make sure to inquire over the phone. Also located in the village are Hanjae House (National Cultural Property No. 154) and World Heritage Hwasun Dolmen Site. Note that the Unjusa Temple, famous for the Cheonbulcheontap Pagoda, is a 15-minute drive away.

Gwangju Culture Night (광주문화재야행)

Gwangju Culture Night (광주문화재야행)

10.9Km    0     2023-11-22

38 Munhwajeondang-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-229-3070

Experience the history of Gwangju under the moonlight at Gwangju Culture Night. This cutural tourism festival offers a range of programs in the eight themes of nightscape, history tour, experience, exhibition, performance, food, marketplace, and accommodation.