Pyongyang parks

Moranbong Park | Fountain Park | Taesongsan Park | Ryongak Hill | Pyongyang Zoo | Kaeson Youth Funfair

Moranbong Park

The Moranbong (means "Moran Hill" ) park occupies the area surrounding the Moranbong hill, it is a recreation area where locals picnic and get together for sing-songs. In the park there are the Moranbong Theatre, the Kaeson Youth Park, an open-air theatre in the Youth Park, the Moran Restaurant, an afforestation exhibition and a small zoo.

Crowded with couples at night and families on weekends, the park on a typical summer afternoon is used by schoolchildren practicing musical instruments, retirees playing chess or sharing stories, and young artists painting landscapes. At the bottom of the hill are stalls selling popsicles, chips and cold drinks.

Dancing with locals in Moranbong Park:

Fountain Park

The Mansudae Fountain Park is composed of many beautifully designed fountains dedicated to the glory of Kim Il Sung. The park was opened in 1976 and is situated near Mansu Hill in the heart of Pyongyang. The big fountain has jets of water reaching up to 80 meters high and between the jets of water there are all white statues of groups of women playing or dancing.

The fountains in front of the Mansudae Art Theatre is a popular meeting place and a favorite backdrop for photos. The main sculptures in the fountains are performig a dance called "Snow Falls".

Taesongsan Park

The Taesongsan Park is an amusement park located in Mangyongdae-guyok, 12 kilometers from Pyongyang. It is well seen from the Revolutionary Martyr's Cemetry. The park was opened in 1977 and is at the foot of Mount Taesong. It covers 180 000 square meters. It includes many amusement apparatuses like jet coaster, mad mouse, bumper car, spacecraft and sliding boat. It is also furnished with beverage stores, restaurants and other service facilities. More than a million people, including foreigners, enjoy themselves in the fun fair every year. Every year May Day festivites are held in this park.

In the park there are remains of the Fort on Mt.Taesong (in Korean Taesong means "great fort") built when Koguryo founded its capital in Pyongyang. At the southern foot of the mountain there is the sight of the Royal Anhak Palace.

The Taesongsan Park is a popular spot for BBQs. Many groups of locals are musually spread all over the park, enjoying the park and a company of friends.

Ryongak Hill

It is a rocky peak resembling a dragon and that is why it is called "Dragon Hill" or Ryonkak in Korean. It is untouched hill located south west of Pyongyang set in greenery with a few historical places around it such as Pobun cloister, Ryonggok lecture hall as well as Mangyondae childrens' camp. At 292 m Tae peak is the highest on Ryongak and gives splendid views on the city. It is a popular hiking and BBQ destination for the capital inhabitants.

Pyongyang Zoo

Pyongyang Zoo, is the national zoo of North Korea. It is located near Mt. Taesong. The zoo has over 5,000 wild animals, comprising a total of 650 species, and covers an area of roughly one square kilometre. It was established in April 1959.

Because dog ownership is forbidden in Pyongyang for hygiene reasons, and the government officially criticises the practise of keeping dogs as pets, the Central Zoo also has dogs on display for visitors to see, including eight raised by Kim Il Sung and given to the zoo after his death in 1994.A pair of Jindo dogs given by Kim Dae-jung to Kim Jong Ol at their 2000 summit, are also kept at the zoo; they produced a litter of five puppies in September 2001.

At the zoo there is the gift animal house in which are kept the animals presented to the leader Kim Jong Il by Jonas Wahlström, the director of the Skansen Zoological Garden in Sweden. In it are kept over 80 species including rare fishes, reptiles, monkeys and nocturnal animals. The gift animals sent by heads of foreign countries are more than 300 in 200 species.

Kaeson Youth Funfair

The Kaeson Youth Funfair is an amusement park opened in 1984 and completely renovated in 2012. The carousel, fun house and amusement park rides like the Ferris wheel comprise an area of 40 ha. The parks was erected as part of the Triumphal Arch dedication and is located in the city centre next to Arch of Triump and Kim Il Sung Stadium. It is the most modern amusement park in North Korea. You may go to the park just to observe how locals enjoy an amusement park, you don't need to ride any attraction yourself.

The entrance fee is about 2 Euro and every ride is about 2-5 Euro payable at spot.