Modern Villa on Bomunsan Mountain in Daejeon Confirmed and Announced as Registered Cultural Property

The modern-style villa on Bomunsan Mountain in Daejeon has been registered as a cultural heritage site by Daejeon City.

The 1930s view of the modern-style villa on Bomunsan Mountain in Daejeon (left) and the current view of the building (right). Provided by Daejeon City

The city announced on the 7th that, after confirmation and review by the Cultural Heritage Committee, the modern-style villa located in Bomunsan Park has been named "Daejeon Bomunsan Modern-style Villa" and officially designated as a city-registered cultural heritage site.

The Daejeon Bomunsan Modern-style Villa is said to have been used by Tsutsuji Mantaro (?? Mantaro, 1909?1983), a Japanese resident in Korea during the Japanese colonial period.

This building is a rare example of a so-called "cultural house" constructed in the bungalow-style villa form on Bomunsan Mountain, and it is highly valued for its architectural, historical, and locational significance.

The building dates back to 1931, during the Japanese colonial era, and is classified as a modern-style architectural structure.

Built on a 27-pyeong scale, this single-story house with wooden tile roofing features a floor plan centered on the living room, reflecting the housing style of the Japanese colonial period, which differs from the traditional Korean hanok (Korean house) that centers around a courtyard (jungjeong).

In the 1930s, the Daejeon Bomunsan Modern-style Villa (photo) had a large corridor installed like a veranda and windows facing south, allowing sunlight to fully enter the interior.

Additionally, the city explained that the villa’s hybrid floor plan, which allows occupants to sit on Western-style chairs and enjoy the external scenery, is a unique feature rarely found in inland villas, as most similar villas were located in port cities or tourist areas.

Other features such as decorative cross windows, protruding external windows, and cement blocks also retain the period characteristics, serving as important criteria for its designation as a modern registered cultural heritage site.

Meanwhile, the city registered the "Old Daejeon Prison Well" as its first city-registered cultural heritage site on June 25 last year. The Daejeon Bomunsan Modern-style Villa is the second city-registered cultural heritage site.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.