The Kumusan Palace of the Sun is a Mausoleum in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea which is best known for being the resting place of North Korean leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il, who lie preserved in state. The building is described as the most "sacred place" in North Korea by local guides and consequentially visiting comes with the strictest regulations out of all places in the country.
Rules and Regulations[]
Guests who visit the palace can firstly only do on a sunday or a thursday. Second to that, they must wear formal attire or they could risk being denied entry. Upon entrance, a hefty security procedure is required which involves handing over all belongings into a keep-sake safe and then an electronic scanner and search. All handheld possessions are prohibited.
Inside the Mausoleum, the strictest reverence and respect is enforced. This includes bowing when being asked to bow and even gestres such as "standing your hands in your pockets" will be corrected by the observing guides.
Contents[]
The Mausoleum is a celebration of the lives of the North Korean leaders. This includes entire galleries depicting their whole lives, their travels throughout the world, their belongings, their personal transportation, gifts given to them, honours received from different nations and most notably, their bodies lying preserved in state.
The rooms containing the bodies have a vacuum device fitted to the doors which blow all dust and microbes off those who enter. Inside each room, the body is enclosed in a glass casket in the centre with barriers around the outside. The visitor is required to make three successive bows, one at the feet, one at the left side and one at the right side, but not one at the head.
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