Located in Jung-gu, Daegu, Seosangdon Old House was the home of Seosangdon, a late Joseon-era entrepreneur, government official, and nationalist independence activist. He succeeded in Daegu as a peddler and cloth merchant and later served as a government grain tax inspector managing tax grain. In 1907, believing that the government was losing national sovereignty due to heavy debts to Japan, he launched the National Debt Repayment Movement with Kim Gwang-je, president of Daegu Gwangmunsa, aiming to repay the country's debt through voluntary savings. Daegu City restored Seosangdon's birthplace, which was next to the Sanghwa Old House in Gyesan-dong, created National Debt Repayment Park, and erected a statue to honor his noble ideals.
The house of entrepreneur and activist Seo Sang-don is located in the heart of Daegu. In 1907, in an effort to repay national debt and to gain independence from Japan, Seo launched the National Debt Repayment Movement as well as a nationwide campaign calling for people to quit smoking.
In celebration of Seo's leadership, the City of Daegu restored Seo's old house and opened it to the public. The City also built the National Debt Repayment Park and erected a statue of Seo in his honor.
Isanghwa Old House, located in Jung-gu, Daegu, is the former residence of the independence activist and poet Isanghwa, who resisted Japanese rule. At this house, he mainly worked on translating works such as Chunhyangjeon into English and devoted himself to reading and research. To honor his achievements, a citizen movement to preserve the house began in 1999. The Military Mutual Aid Association purchased and renovated the house while constructing nearby mixed-use apartments, and the Citizen Movement Headquarters for Preservation of the Old House installed exhibition items within the house using raised funds. Isanghwa Old House commemorates the spirit of the anti-Japanese nationalist poet Isanghwa and serves as an educational site to inherit his noble patriotic spirit and literary accomplishments to future generations.
This house was the residence of American missionaries (Switz, Henderson, Archibald Campbell, etc.) who came to Daegu for missionary work starting in 1893. It is a Western-style building constructed around 1906-1910 with 2 floors above ground and 1 basement floor, located on Dongsan (currently Cheongna Hill) facing southwest. The foundation was made with castle stones from Ansan Rock brought during the demolition of Daegu Eupseong in 1907, and the walls are built with red bricks. It is a two-story Han-Yang hybrid brick building. It was designated a Daegu Metropolitan City Tangible Cultural Property on June 15, 1989. In August 1981, it was acquired from Dongsan Hospital and used as a residence, during which Korean-style roof tiles were replaced with zinc sheets and some interior finish materials were replaced. The floor plan includes a veranda on the south right leading to the entrance, which connects directly via the entrance hall to the living room and reception room. Around the living room are arranged a bedroom, stairwell, bathroom, kitchen, and dining room. The roof was originally a Korean-style tiled gable roof with shed shapes on the south and north sides but was improved with zinc sheets. On October 1, 1999, on the 100th anniversary of Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center’s founding, it opened as a Missionary Museum. The first floor exhibits various Bibles, missionary relics, and photographic materials on the introduction of Christianity; the second floor displays a model of the tabernacle and Old and New Testament-related items purchased locally in Israel. Missionaries Switz House well demonstrates American residential and lifestyle styles and Han-Yang blended architectural techniques, serving as an important building to understand Protestant missionaries in Daegu and the architectural context at that time. Cheongna Hill offers many sights, including Missionary Blair House, Chamnis House, Daegu Jeil Church, Dongmusaenggang Song Monument, the third-generation descendant of Korea’s first Western apple tree, and in May, known as the queen of seasons, the 200-year-old white rice flower Ipap trees bloom. The building is privately owned and not open to visitors inside.
Gyesan Catholic Church is located at Gyesan Five-way Intersection in Jung-gu and, together with Beomeo Cathedral, serves as a co-cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Daegu. The patron saint of the parish is Our Lady of Lourdes. The parish was established in 1898 under the direction of Father Pwaneel, who built Myeongdong Cathedral and designed Jeonju Jeondong Cathedral. Notably, the stained glass was imported directly from France. It is situated close to the city center and features nighttime lighting, allowing visitors to enjoy a beautiful night view. There are well-maintained walking paths around the church, attracting many who visit for relaxation in the downtown area. An interesting fact is that Daegu’s first Catholic church, Gyesan-dong Catholic Church, and Daegu First Presbyterian Church, the city's first Protestant church, face each other across the street. This area, including Gyesan-dong and Dongsan-dong, represents the starting point of Christian history in Daegu across denominations. During construction, there was a debate about the location between the current site and Cheongra Hill to the west, but at the request of elderly parishioners, the church was built at the current site. Originally, the building was a traditional Hanok-style similar to the Anglican Ganghwa Church, but after it burned down in 1901, a new Gothic-style church was built. It is the first Western-style church built in Gyeongsang Province and is managed by the Cultural Heritage Administration. Along with the Carmel Convent in Daemyeong-dong, Nam-gu and the Anglican Seoul Cathedral, Gyesan Catholic Church is one of the few places in the urban area where the bells are rung. Thus, hearing the bells during the Angelus can evoke the atmosphere of traveling in Europe.
Modern Culture Alley was selected as a Korean Tourism Star in 2012 and has been listed in Korea's Top 100 Tourist Attractions for three consecutive years, making it one of the most popular spots that led alley tours to become a nationwide tourism content. This alley has many photogenic points at key locations, and travel reviews are actively shared through internet blogs and SNS. It is recognized as a representative tourist attraction that introduced the concept of tourism to Daegu, which was once a tourism desert. When visiting Modern Culture Alley, you can encounter the coexistence of Daegu's past, present, and future and experience a special journey where dialogue, understanding, communication, and empathy between generations occur.
