Your guides will tell you proudly that the Triumphal Arch is 6m higher than its cousin in Paris, making it the largest of its kind in the world. The arch marks the site where Kim Il-sung first addressed the liberated Koreans after the end of Japanese occupation in 1945. The translation you hear will omit the fact that the Soviets liberated Pyongyang, not the partisans, who themselves gave full credit to the Soviets at the time.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.92 MILES
This tower honours the North Korean philosophy of Juche and was unveiled to mark President Kim Il-sung's 70th birthday in 1982. Indeed, the tower is made…
Monument to the Foundation of the Workers' Party
1.66 MILES
This startlingly bombastic monument has starred on the cover of more books about North Korea than almost any other. The three hands portrayed represent…
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0.85 MILES
Every itinerary includes an homage to these vast bronze statues of the smiling Great Leader and Dear Leader, the latter in his trademark parka. The first…
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1.73 MILES
Pyongyang’s central square is where North Korea’s massive military parades normally take place. The plaza is ringed by austere-looking buildings: most…
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Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum
0.88 MILES
Perhaps the most interesting museum in Pyongyang, this mouthful of an institution opened its current home in 2013 to mark the 60th anniversary of the end…
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0.72 MILES
This impressive statue portrays Chollima, the Korean Pegasus. It’s an interesting example of how the North Korean state has incorporated traditional…
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0.78 MILES
The USS Pueblo is a US surveillance vessel that was seized by the North Koreans off the east coast of Korea in January 1968, during a heightening of…
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Monument to the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War 1950–53
0.86 MILES
This impressive monument, which was unveiled in 1993 to mark the 40th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, now forms part of the display of the…
Nearby Pyongyang attractions
0.09 MILES
This massive mural depicts the hypothetical scene of the joyful masses celebrating Kim Il-sung's arrival in Pyongyang, even though the event wasn't quite…
2. Sino-Korean Friendship Tower
0.23 MILES
This television tower was built as a gift from the Chinese to the DRPK. It's possible to take the lift to the top and have a drink at the small cafe.
0.41 MILES
This is Pyongyang’s top recreation ground: couples wander, families picnic and there are people playing guitars and sometimes even dancing in an…
0.49 MILES
This stone column topped with a red star commemorates the Soviet liberation of Pyongyang from Japanese rule in 1945. Built in 1947, it is thoroughly…
0.5 MILES
Located inside what is today Pyongyang's main park, the Chilsong Gate was once the northern entrance to the original walled city of Pyongyang and dates…
0.72 MILES
This impressive statue portrays Chollima, the Korean Pegasus. It’s an interesting example of how the North Korean state has incorporated traditional…
0.78 MILES
The USS Pueblo is a US surveillance vessel that was seized by the North Koreans off the east coast of Korea in January 1968, during a heightening of…
0.85 MILES
Despite the museum’s rather misleading name, its main function is to document the death of Kim Il-sung (including a film of the extraordinary public…