You can jump back the whole hundred years if you are in Jung-gu of Incheon. The architecture is in either gothic or renaissace or combined style. You might wonder to which country this place belongs. You can see many old buildings from Jayu Park to Dongincheon Station - the Incheon branch of the First Bank of Japan, Old 58 Bank of Japan, Incheon Post Office and many others. Their unique designs are a result of the period of enlightenment and provide a new experience.
DAP-DONG CATHOLIC CHURCH
Beautiful and Exquisite Outlook with Dome.
The missionary activity of Roman Catholicism was started from 1889 in Incheon, when The Father Villem first arrived here from Paris Foreign Missionary of France. Dap-dong Catholic Church built on the Dap-dong hill is one of the oldest western modern building among the Korean catholic churches built in 1890. The cornerstone was first laid in July of 1890, and the first construction started from 1894 then completed in 1897. The church is in gothic style with flat floor. The external was redecorated in 1933 with a Romanesque style. The main steeple and other two steeples are making up beautiful and again exquisite look. (This was appointed as Cultural Properties by Nation, Historic Sites 287).
How to get in this place:
• Subway : "DongIncheon Station" (1-st line), then walk (10 min.) in the direction of Sinpo Market.
• Buses : 2,6-1,12,15,22,23,41,45,46,etc, bus-stop "DongIncheon Station", then walk. Or buses 6-1,15,23,41,46,etc, bus-stop "Dap-Dong".
• Way to Dap-Dong Church is located just opposite Sinpo Market main entrance (across the street).
Address:
#3, Dap-Dong
INCHEON JAPAN'S FIRST BANK
Late Renaissance Style Similar to Jungangcheong.
Incheon Japan's First Bank
In November of 1883, this building was opened to function as the agency (the first bank in Incheon) of Pusan branch office of First National Bank in Japan. Later in 1909, the Central Bank of Korea was established, so this place was, then, transferred to the Bank of Korea Incheon Branch Office. This building was domed and built of stones in the post-Renaissance style and built up of the first floor. After the Liberation, it was used as office of Supply Incheon Office, then Dong-incheon Registry Office. The exterior went through minor reconstruction, but the main framework is still well preserved. This was appointed as Tangible Cultural Properties by City, Historic Sites 7.
How to get in this place:
• Subway : "Incheon Station" (1-st line), then walk (10 minute) to Second Chinese Gate.
• Buses : 2,5,15,23,28,32,45, bus-stop "Incheon Station", then walk.
• If you stop near the Second Chinese Gate in front of China Town, the way to the bank is on the right (in the nearest block). It's quite difficult to find 1-st and 58-th banks in this block.
Address:
#9, 1-ga Jungang-dong
(FORMER) JAPAN'S 58 BANK INCHEON BRANCH
A Renaissance-style Building with an Exotic-looking Balcony.
Japan's 58 Bank Incheon Branch
No, it's not the house of Juliet, it's the Incheon Branch Office of former Japan 58 Bank. The headquarter of 58 bank is located in Osaka, and this branch opened in July of 1892. After then, the bank worked on merging with other bank then became Yasuda Bank. The building was rebuilt in 1939 and was used as Joheung Bank's branch office then as Red Cross Branch office, after the Liberation. Right now, Restaurant Business Association occupies this building.
This building is made in French renaissance style, and the exterior was finished with stone panel. The balcony of second floor is exotic and beautiful, so you for some moment forget you're in Incheon. (Municipal Cultural Asset the 19-th).
How to get in this place:
• Subway : "Incheon Station" (1-st line), then walk (10 minute) to Second Chinese Gate.
• Buses : 2,5,15,23,28,32,45, bus-stop "Incheon Station", then walk.
• If you stop near the Second Chinese Gate in front of China Town, the way to the bank is on the right (in the nearest block).
Address:
#24-1, 2-ga Jungang-dong
JAYU PARK (LIBERTY PARK, FREEDOM PARK)
Korea's first Western-style park - Jayu Park
It is Korea's first Western-style park made by Samatin, a Russian engineer, in 1888. It was built nine years before the famous Pagoda Park in Seoul, which came to be in 1897. Joint-invested by Americans, English and Chinese who lived around the park site in late Chosun Dynasty, it was originally called Manguk (Thousand Nation or All Nations' Park, Universal Park) Park, but was renamed West Park during Japanese Colonization.
It was finally named Jayu Park (Freedom Park, Liberty Park) when the statue of General McArthur was erected. General Douglas McArthur led a successful landing of the allied troops at Incheon during the Korean War (1950-1953). His statue was erected in 1957 on the Foundation Day of Korea in the same year...
How to get in this place:
• Subway : "DongIncheon Station" or "Incheon Station" (1-st line), then 15 min. walk to the Park
• Buses : 2,5,15,23,28,32,45, bus-stop "Incheon Station" or buses 2,6-1,12,15,22,23,41,45,46, etc, bus-stop "DongIncheon Station", then walk (10 minute) to the park.
100 YEARS OF KOREA AND AMERICA TREATY MEMORIAL TOWER
100 years of Korea and America Treaty Memorial Tower
On May of 22nd in 1882, Korea and America signed a commercial treaty with 14 articles at the Hwadojin Hill where you can view the whole front sea of Incheon. Due to the treaty secluded Korea was known to the world. In 1992, the two countries again gathered to commemorate the 100 years of friendship and erected "100 years of Korea and America Treaty Memorial Tower" in Jayu Park. The memorial towers are composed of 8 towers with a shape of sail symbolizing human, nature, peace and freedom signifying the long time friendship between two countries. The place where this tower is seated is the previous house lot for John Stone.
INCHEON POST OFFICE
Delicate Mixture of Western and Eastern Architecture Style.
Incheon Post Office
The postal service history of Incheon is within the mainstream of Korea's postal service history. Postal Service General Bureau was established when the Reformist Revolution of 1884 took place. In the same year on 17-th November, the Incheon Branch Office was opened. The postal service started earlier than Seoul. The Incheon Post Office was newly built in 1982 but present delicate beauty as an architecture. The post office was designated as the Incheon City's Cultural Asset the 8-th. After Incheon Post Office having moved to a new location in Yeonsu-gu district, the building was vacated. Now Incheon Post Office works in the old place.
How to get in this place:
• Subway : "DongIncheon Station" (1-st line), then walk (15 minutes) to Sinpo-Dong , pass through Sinpo-Dong toward sea (Incheon Port) and on Sinpo Crossroads you can see the Incheon Post Office.
• Buses : 2,6-1,12,15,22,23,41,45,46, etc, bus-stop "DongIncheon Station", then walk as describe above. Or take buses 6-1,15,23,41,46,etc, bus-stop "Dap-Dong" - this is just by Sinpo Market.
Address:
6-ga, Hang-dong
HONGYE GATE (HONGYEMUN)
Cool Breeze along the Rainbow.
Hongye Gate was named after its head shape. The head of the gate is shaped as rainbow. This gate was built during the colonization era to support the sharply increasing population of Japanese in Jungang-dong and Gwan-dong regions. The construction started in 1905, but it took 3 years to complete (1908). The archives say that the construction met huge rocks while digging the ground, so they had to eliminate them, and it took very long time. In other words, this gate was built on the rocks. This gate has a nice view of whole Incheon Port with cool breeze that captures rainbows and you. It has retained its original form in Jayu Park (Freedom Park).
How to get in this place:
• Subway : "DongIncheon Station", then 10 minutes walk to the Gate
• Buses : 2,6-1,12,15,22,23,41,45,46,etc, bus-stop "DongIncheon Station", then walk.
100 YEARS OF PROTESTANTISM MONUMENT
Celebrating 100 Years of Efforts.
100-years of Protestantism Monument
On the Easter morning of 1885, April 4-th, a ship anchored in the Incheon's front sea. It was drizzling and still early morning. Few westerners stepped on the land then knelt down to the ground to pray. They were Mr&Mrs Appenjeller and Underwood, a missionary. To commemorate the 100-year of protestant history in Korea, the monument was built on March 30-th, 1986 on the main road in front of Olympus Hotel.
How to get in this place:
• Subway : "Incheon Station" (1-st line), then walk (5 minute) to Paradise Olimpus Hotel. The monument is near hotel on crossroads.
• Buses : 2,5,15,23,28,32,45, bus-stop "Incheon Station", then walk.
IF YOU HAVE GPS
(All points are given in WGS 84):
- 100 years of Protestantism in Korea Monument - 37°28,400'N, 126°36,995'E
- Korea's First Western Style Park - Jayu Park - 37°28,490'N, 126°37,390'E
- Statue of Douglas MacArthur in Jayu Park - 37°28,490'N, 126°37,403'E
- 100 years of Korea and America Tready Memorial Tower in Jayu Park - 37°28,569'N, 126°37,279'E
- Incheon Post Office - 37°28,205'N, 126°37,432'E
- Dap-Dong Catholic Church - 37°28,268'N, 126°37,780'E
- Incheon Japan's First Bank - 37°28,408'N, 126°37,220'E
- Former Japan's 58 Bank Incheon Branch - 37°28,374'N, 126°37,288'E
- Hongye Gate (Hongyemun) - 37°28,474'N, 126°37,562'E
