The church grounds include over 300-year-oldprotected trees and beautiful natural scenery, offering a sense of the site’slong history. It was selected in 2005 by the Korea Tourism Organization as oneof Korea’s most beautiful churches. GongseriChurch, designated Chungcheongnam-do Cultural Heritage No. 144, is historicallysignificant as the ninth parish established in the Korean Catholic Church andthe first in the Diocese of Daejeon. During the four majorpersecutions—Shin-yu, Gi-hae, Byung-o, and Byung-in—more than 10,000 Catholicswere martyred in Korea. Gongseri Shrine commemorates 32 of these martyrs withmemorial monuments and towers. Thesite is also well known as a filming location, featured in more than 70 filmsand dramas, including You’re Beautiful, Taegeukgi,and IRIS 2.