page_title: Mansu Hill Grand Monument
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Mansu Hill Grand Monument / Description
caption_attribution_description: 2010, 2012, 2014.
context_page_description: The Grand Monument on Mansu Hill is a complex of monuments in Pyongyang, North Korea. There are 229 figures in all, commemorating the history of the revolutionary struggle of the Korean people, and especially their leaders. The central part of the monument consists of two 20-meter-tall bronze statues of deceased North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.
context_section_description: Behind the central statues is a wall of the Korean Revolution Museum building, displaying a mosaic mural showing a scene from Mount Paektu, considered to be the sacred mountain of revolution. On either side of the statues, leading away from the building, are two monuments consisting of statues of different soldiers, workers, and farmers in their anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle and socialist revolution. The long line of human figures depicted on them are on average 5 meters tall. 
  An official North Korean website describes it thus:
  The group sculptures represent in a comprehensive way the immortal history of revolutionary struggle of the Korean people who have recorded only victory and glory under the wise leadership of the great Generalissimos.  
  Not only on national holidays and commemoration days but on ordinary days it is crowded with people to present floral baskets and bouquets before the statues. Wedding couples are often seen there. The visiting foreigners, too, climb the hill and pay their high tribute to the great Generalissimos.
  — Official North Korean web site
  All visitors to the site, both locals and foreigners, are expected to bow and leave flowers in order to show respect. Photos of the statues are permitted, but the photos must capture the statues in their entirety.
caption: The monument as a function of time. Left: A 2010 photo of the original statue of Kim Il-sung, wearing an overcoat and Mao suit. Top right: A 2012 photo of an updated statue of Kim Il-sung depicting him as an older statesman with a tie and vest, and an additional statue of Kim Jong-il. Bottom right: A 2014 photo showing Kim Jong-il with a new parka.
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