Yangnim History and Culture Village, Jeonnam-Gwangju

Site details

Yangnim-dong, which was once called Beodeureum for the way the ridges of Yangnimsan and Sajiksan Mountains extend toward Gwangjucheon Stream, became a center of modernization in Gwangju in 1904 when Western missionaries including Eugene Bell and Clement Owen settled here. Churches, schools, and hospitals were established around this once-quiet area on the slopes of Yangnimsan Mountain outside Gwangju Eupseong Walled Town, creating a foundation for Christian evangelism, modern education, and modern medicine. Today, historic sites such as Speer Girls’ School, Owen Memorial Hall, the Missionary Wilson's House, the missionary cemetery where twenty-two missionaries are buried, and a 400-year-old holly tree remain quietly nestled within the village. Thanks to this beautiful wooded scenery within the city, Yangnim-dong was also once home to some of Gwangju’s wealthiest families. As a result, elegant traditional hanok houses, including the Choi Seung-hyo’s House and the Lee Jang-woo's House, coexist harmoniously with modern Western-style buildings throughout its alleys. The village also served as a cradle for the arts, producing many prominent writers and artists, including the poet Kim Hyeon-seung. Today, a wide range of cultural and artistic programs and projects continue to connect Yangnim’s past with the present.