The suburb of Mangyongdae houses the place of Kim Il-sung’s birth, a typical Korean peasant house with a thatched roof and a block of living rooms, as well as a small barn, most of which looks as if it was built in the past few decades. The surrounding area has long been a destination for day trippers from the capital, due to its idyllic setting amid the gentle hills where the Sunhwa River flows into the Taedong.
Kim Il-sung's Birthplace
Pyongyang
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
5.91 MILES
This tower honours the North Korean philosophy of Juche and was unveiled to mark President Kim Il-sung's 70th birthday in 1982. Indeed, the tower is made…
Monument to the Foundation of the Workers' Party
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5.88 MILES
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5.53 MILES
The USS Pueblo is a US surveillance vessel that was seized by the North Koreans off the east coast of Korea in January 1968, during a heightening of…
Nearby Pyongyang attractions
1. Mangyongdae Revolutionary Museum
0.14 MILES
The Mangyongdae Revolutionary Museum, located near Kim Il-sung's birthplace, continues the theme of the Great Leader's childhood and makes the point that…
0.28 MILES
After the relentless propaganda, you can relax with some day trippers from the capital at the Mangyongdae Funfair, a pleasant oasis built around the base…
4.77 MILES
Located on the southern slope of Haebang Hill is this museum that originally housed the Central Committee of the Korean Workers’ Party, as well as Kim Il…
5.12 MILES
The western gate of the original walled city of Pyongyang dates from the 6th century, but was rebuilt in the 15th century and then again in 1955.
5.22 MILES
Three decades after construction began on this extraordinary hotel in 1987, it still has not been completed. Planned as a prestige project but abandoned…
5.35 MILES
This impressive building on Kim Il-sung Sq is the country’s largest library and centre of Juche studies, where any North Korean over 17 can come for free…
5.43 MILES
Pyongyang’s central square is where North Korea’s massive military parades normally take place. The plaza is ringed by austere-looking buildings: most…
8. Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum
5.45 MILES
Perhaps the most interesting museum in Pyongyang, this mouthful of an institution opened its current home in 2013 to mark the 60th anniversary of the end…