Tower of Immortality
A Tower of Immortality is a monument in North Korea in memory of the "Eternal President" Kim Il-sung and the "Eternal General" Kim Jong-il . Immortality towers exist in various places across the country and are an expression of the personality cult around the former rulers of North Korea.
The towers are reminiscent of obelisks and usually have a memorial message on the front and back. However, they are usually designed differently and vary in height and shape. While Towers of Immortality already existed to commemorate Kim Il-sung, numerous other towers were built in his memory after Kim Jong-il's death in 2011.
Well-known towers
The three most famous towers of immortality include the tower on Kumsong Street, Sungri Street and the tower on a traffic island on Sesallim Street in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang . Another tower, identical to the one on Sungri Street, is on Kwangbok Street, opposite the Pyongyang Circus .
Kumsong Street Immortality Tower
One of the most famous towers of immortality is the so-called Monument of Eternal Life in honor of President Kim Il-sung at the beginning of Kumsong Street. It was erected in 1997 in memory of Kim Il-sung, who died in 1994, on a total area of 17,000 square meters and extends with two arches over the thoroughfare to his mausoleum, the Kumsusan Palace , near the Ryonghung intersection. It is located on a 10.50 meter high pedestal through which road traffic passes. Its height is 82 meters. On both sides there is an inscription in the form of a bronze relief, which initially only referred to the "eternal President" Kim Il-sung, but after the death of Kim Jong-il was expanded to include his name. It reads:
" 위대한 김일성 동지 와 김정일 동지 는 영원히 우리 와 함께 계신다 "
" The great leader Comrade Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il will stay with us forever "
On the outside of the base there are reliefs with azalea blossoms and a red star at the top with a diameter of three meters.
Sungri Street Immortality Tower
Another well-known tower commemorating Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-sung is located in Pyongyang on Sungri Street in Dong Jongro-dong . This bears the inscription
" 위대한 김일성 동지 와 김정일 동지 는 영원히 우리 와 함께 계신다 "
" The great President Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il will stay with us forever "
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ruler Kim Jong Un in North Korea Focus from January 12, 2012
- ↑ Philipp Meuser: Architectural Guide Pyongyang , Volume 1, DOM publishers, 2011, page 119, ISBN 978-3869221267