Tower of the Juche Idea

A tall stone monument on the east bank of the Taedong River in Pyongyang, erected in 1982 to embody the state's guiding self-reliance ideology. Its tapering shaft, faced with tens of thousands of granite blocks, is crowned by a large illuminated metal torch sculpture visible across the city at night. An interior lift carries visitors to an observation platform near the top, from which the layout of the capital, its bridges, and its monuments spread out below. The tower faces a major square across the river and anchors many guided itineraries.