Juche Tower

Pyongyang, North Korea

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The Juche Tower is a prominent monument located in Pyongyang, North Korea, on the eastern bank of the Taedong River, directly opposite Kim Il Sung Square. Completed in 1982, it was built to honor the 70th birthday of Kim Il Sung, the country’s first leader, and is dedicated to the national ideology known as Juche, which emphasizes self-reliance and independence.

The tower stands 170 meters tall, making it one of the tallest stone monuments in the world, and is topped with a 20-meter high illuminated metal torch. The structure is made from 25,550 granite blocks, representing each day of Kim Il Sung’s life up to his 70th year. At the base of the tower is a large statue featuring three figures: a worker holding a hammer, a farmer with a sickle, and an intellectual with a writing brush.

These figures symbolize the unity of workers, farmers, and intellectuals, reflecting the guiding ideas of North Korea’s ruling party. Visitors can take an elevator to the top for panoramic views of the city, and the area around the tower includes plaques from foreign supporters as well as decorative pavilions and water features. The Juche Tower remains a major symbol of national pride and is an iconic part of Pyongyang’s skyline.