MONUMENT TO THE CREATION OF THE PARTY

The monument to the Foundation of the Party (당창건기념탑 in Korean) is an imposing structure of concrete and granite which is typically Stalinist. It was designed and erected in 1995 by the Mansudae Workshops based in Pyongyang, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Korean workers ' Party. The building is highly symbolic due to its structure itself as it measures exactly 50 meters (one metre for each anniversary of the Party), the base of the monument measures 70 meters (one metre for each anniversary of the founding of the Union to bring down imperialism) and the number of slabs (216) forming the belt surrounding the monument and its diameter (42 metres) corresponds to the date of birth of Kim Jong-Il: 16 February 1942.

Bronze reliefs outside the monument form a propaganda phrase: "the organizers of the Korean people's victory and the leader of the Korean Labour Party!" Inside thereare three great reliefs: the first represents the sources of the party, the second represents the population which is united under the party and its teachings, and the third one represents the prospects drawn by the party for a glorious future. The whole is topped with the emblems of the Labour Party: the brush, the sickle and the hammer each tightened in a closed fist.

If the monument itself is imposing, its staging is as much: first, at the rear, there are two large symmetrical red buildings with on their roof the words forming the slogan "always victorious". Even more impressive is the area of the site where the monument is, i.e. 25 000 m2. Finally, it will be necessary to measure the perspective formed by the perfect alignment between the monument to the Foundation of the party with the Grand monument Mansudae on one side and the Museum of the Korean revolution on the other.

The monument is visible on the cover of Pyongyang by Guy Delisle, which is an autobiographical comic book where the author tells about his stay in Pyongyang.

Just behind there is a small souvenir shop which sells books also, where you can buy small items that are more traditional than those which are sold in hotels for example. It is also an air-conditioned place where you can rest in summer.