A tour of the city starts with the nearly 500-foot white granite Juche Tower, capped with a 65-foot torch symbolizing the “rays of Juche.” It was erected in 1982 to celebrate Kim Il Sung’s 70th birthday. From there, head to the 200-foot Arch of Triumph (slightly taller than Paris’s Arc de Triomphe) erected to glorify Kim Il Sung’s exploits. Then it’s but a short hop to the Grand People’s Study House, which can house 30 million books (though it doesn’t) and is supposedly a “center for the project of intellectualizing the whole of society and a sanctuary of learning for the entire people.” Next it’s off to Kim Il Sung Stadium, which can hold 150,000 spectators and opened with an “international marathon” featuring runners from just seven countries. Finally, head to the wide-open spaces of Kim Il Sung Square, rivaled in size only by Beijing’s Tiananmen. Nearby is the final stop on the tour, the ultimate must-see attraction-the Mansudae Grand Monument, a 65-foot statue of Kim Il Sung. When the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping visited the statue he noted with disgust that it was coated in gold. The North Koreans recoated it in less ostentatious bronze shortly thereafter.
Tags
advertisement
More for You
-
14 images of badass women who destroyed stereotypes and inspired future generations
These trailblazers redefined what a woman could be.
Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.
-
Why mass shootings spawn conspiracy theories
Mass shootings and conspiracy theories have a long history.
While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.
When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.
Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.
advertisement

