Ryonkwang Pavilion

Ryonkwang Pavilion

Ryonkwang Pavilion, a noted historic relic stands on the Taedong River in Pyongyang, the capital of DPR of Korea.

From the olden time the scene of the pavilion has been regarded as one of the most super views in Korea as well as in Pyongyang.

A masterpiece of castle construction of Korea, it was built first when the walled city of Pyongyang was built in the mid-6^th century and rebuilt in 1670.

Ryonkwang Pavilion means a pavilion with good prospect.

From it one can command a bird’s-eye view of the Taedong River with crystal clear water flowing, Moran Hill, Chongryu Cliff, Rungna Islet and other sites.

The visitors to it can see the hanging board carrying the letters reading “The Most Picturesque Land in the World”.

Long ago an envoy from a neighboring country visited Pyongyang. Fascinated by the beautiful scenery in front of Ryonkwang Pavilion, he mounted on it everyday to see the sights.

Before returning home he wrote on a hanging board the letters “The Most Picturesque land in the World” and requested a woodworker to hang it on the pavilion.

During the Imjin Patriotic War (1592-1598) foreign aggressors who attacked Pyongyang tried to put off the hanging board. But they were too fascinated by the scene of the pavilion to remove it, only erasing the letters “in the World”.

After driving out the aggressors Pyongyangites preserved the hanging board with the letters “The Most Picturesque Land”.

All the visitors, however, badly missed the letters “in the World”.

Considering their minds, leader Kim Jong Il took a measure to restore the removed letters.

Ryonkwang Pavilion is associated with the developed architecture of the Korean people and their proud struggle against foreign aggressors.

It had been severely destroyed during the Korean War, but rehabilitated to the original state according to the Workers’ Party of Korea’s policy on cultural relic preservation.

Now it is used as a recreation place for the working people.