North Korea: Mansudae Grand Monuments

Continuing with the theme of two great leaders, the next attraction is the Mansudae Grand Monument Complex depicting Kim Il Sung with an outstretched hand and Kim John Il in his signature parka. The two statues are 22m/70ft high and made out of bronze (you must frame both leaders together when photographing, no pictures of one or body parts are allowed – I guess the concept of image cropping is not known here yet). I had an opportunity to lay flowers at the feet of the glorious leaders and took that, solemnly laying a bouquet at the monument. On both sides of the statues are two massive monuments depicting hundreds of bodies of men and women with various weapons and positions of struggle for the socialist revolution and against the Japanese imperialism. Brutalist communist architecture at its best, the figures are about 5m/15ft high and all celebrate the boundless determination toward the goals inspired by the great leaders. (Deja vu of many Soviet Union’s as well as half of African victory monuments and statues).
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