Taesongsan Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery (Korean: 대성산혁명렬사릉) is a cemetery and memorial to the North Korean soldiers fighting for freedom and independence against Japanese rule. The 30-hectare site is located near the top of Mount Taesong (Taesongsan) in the Taesong-guyŏk, just outside Pyongyang, capital of North Korea.
The cemetery with hundreds of tombs was completed in 1975 and in October 1985 was renovated and expanded.[1] Its design inspired the design of two African cemeteries, National Heroes' Acre in Zimbabwe and Heroes' Acre in Namibia.[1]
Description
The entrance to the cemetery is marked by a monumental gate in Korean style. Each of the graves is provided with a bronze bust. At the far end of the memorial there is a conspicuous red flag made of granite.[2] Heo-nik Kwon and Byung-Ho Chung (2012) covered the cemetery in their publication North Korea: Beyond Charismatic Politics, noting the cemetery's significance in politics, where it can not only satisfy the North Korean need for revolutionary narratives, but also compensate for its large-scale absence of ordinary military cemeteries.[3]
Notable people buried
- Kim Jong-suk, first wife of Kim Il Sung.
- Kang Pan-sok, mother of Kim Il Sung.
- Kim Ch'aek, general and politician.
- Nam Il, general and politician.
- Ri Yong-suk, politician.
- Hyŏn Chun-hyŏk, politician.
See also
- Kumsusan Palace of the Sun
- Patriotic Martyrs' Cemetery
- Daejeon National Cemetery
- Seoul National Cemetery
- National Heroes' Acre (Zimbabwe)
- Heroes' Acre (Namibia)
- Feldherrnhalle
References
- ^ a b Hall, Nick (9 December 2022). "Empty lots and baboon feces: North Korea's monuments in Namibia – in photos". NK News. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ War Cemetery, Pyongyang orientalarchitecture.com
- ^ "The Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery: The Politics of Graves". Visit North Korea. 9 May 2019. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2019.