The Historic Architecture in Korea (Anglican & Catholic Churches)
  
information on Korean stamp
Date of Issue |
: 2022.04.14 |
Types |
: 8 |
Denomination |
: 690 won |
Design |
: |
Stamp No. |
: 3589 |
Printing Process
& Colors |
: null |
Size of Stamp |
: 40 × 30 |
WholeSheet
Composition |
: 2 × 2 |
Image Area |
: 40 × 30 |
Paper |
: null |
Perforation |
: 14 × 14 |
Printer |
: POSA |
Designer |
: Ryu,Ji-hyeong |
Quantity |
: 400,000 |
Detail
Although churches in Korea have a relatively short history compared to the West, they are spread nationwide in diverse styles with various features. Korea Post is issuing the commemorative stamp series The Historic Architecture in Korea (Anglican & Catholic Churches) featuring four churches in Korea that became symbols of modern architecture with over century-long history.
Yakhyeon Catholic Church in Seoul was built in 1892, predating Myeongdong Catholic Church by six years. It was designed by and constructed under the supervision of the French Catholic missionary Fr. Eugene Jean Georges Coste as Korea`s first Western influenced Gothic-style church. The church was built on a hill of Yakhyeon that overlooks the Seosomun Shrine to commemorate the souls of martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the mass persecution of Korean Catholics, and respect their devotion and faith. The stained glass behind the altar is decorated with dalle de verre, a modern stained-glass technique, and significant for being the first domestic dalle de verre piece created by a Korean artist.
Ganghwa Anglican Church of St. Peter & St. Paul was built on November 15, 1900 as the first Anglican church built in Ganghwado when Korea had begun opening its ports. The interior of the church adopted the Western-style basilica architecture while the exterior features Korean-style wooden architecture with a hip-and-gable roof. The overall shape of the church was constructed in the form of a vessel, conveying a message to “Become an ark that saves the world.”
Jeondong Catholic Church in Jeonju stands in the martyrs’ shrine outside Pungnammun Gate, the southernmost gate among the four city gates of old Jeonju, where mass executions of Catholics took place. This is Korea`s first martyrs’ shrine, where Paul Yun Ji-chung and James Kwon Sang-yeon were beheaded on December 8, 1791. Jeondong Catholic Church was built in a combination of Byzantine and Romanesque styles, being the first Western-style architecture in the Honam region. It is significant not only for its religious values, but also for its artistic and cultural significance.
Seoul Anglican Cathedral of St. Mary & St. Nicholas, designated as a tangible cultural heritage of Seoul, was designed by English architect Arthur Stansfield Dixon and built over two construction projects in 1926 and 1996. The church is a Romanesque architecture that applied granite for its base and some parts of the rear, and red bricks for the rest of the building. The structure features different heights, giving a dramatic appearance. It has a large bell tower at the center with a smaller version in front. The golden mosaic altarpiece inside the church emphasizes the holiness of the space.
The Historic Architecture in Korea (Anglican & Catholic Churches) is available in two versions, one that depicts the churches` interior and another that depicts the exterior. Myeongdong Catholic Church in Seoul is featured on the selvage as it is perhaps one of the most representative neo-Gothic cathedrals that symbolize Catholicism in Korea. We hope these commemorative stamps serve as an opportunity to learn about Anglican and Catholic churches in Korea.