Also known as: Ryu-Gyong Hotel Also known as: Yu-Kyung Hotel Built: 1987-1992 Cost: $750,000,000 Designed by: Baekdu Mountain Architects & Engineers Type: Skyscraper Stories: 105 Maximum Height: 1,083 feet / 330 meters Location: Sojang-dong, Pyongyang, North Korea
A symbol of a once proud country's dashed hopes and dreams, the Ryugyong Hotel is now a massive, constant reminder of how a government off track can take an entire country with it.
The soaring pyramid was started in the late 1980's -- a decade before Asia would be plunged into an economic crisis. It rose to a height of 105 stories and its essential structure was completed before construction stopped in 1992. The reason was simple: money. The government simply didn't have enough money to finance such a large project.
Over the years the building has become such a sore point for the government that it is occasionally removed from official photographs.
Visually, the building resembles a pyramid made of three intersecting right triangles. Along the hypotenuses about 20 stories up the slope reverses itself in a zig-zag or lightning bolt shape. This bit of visual embellishment give it the unfortunate appearance of being some kind of monster sitting on its haunches. At the top, 14 stories of rounded floors constitute the beast's head gazing across the city.
The building was never outfitted with windows or other necessities and after more than a decade exposed to the elements, it is said to be structurally unsound. Some attribute this more to shoddy workmanship and materials than to the weather.
Developer: The Democratic People's Republic of Korea
It is believed that it would cost in excess of $300,000,000 to complete this building.
Floor space: 3,875,000 square feet
Hotel rooms: 3,000
Revolving restaurants: 7
1987: Construction begins
1992: Construction is halted
May, 2008: There are reports of construction resuming on this hotel.
June 30, 2008: The Korean Times reports that construction resumed on this building in March, 2008 with the help of an Egyptian construction company.
July 17, 2008: Reuters reports that the top levels of the building are being rehabilitated. Visible from the ground are windows and communications antennae.
New York, United States
