Ryugyong Hotel Building

Address: Ryugyong Hotel, Kwangbok Street area, Pyongyang, North Korea

The Ryugyong Hotel is a distinctive pyramid-shaped skyscraper in Pyongyang with 105 floors that dominates the city skyline. Construction began in the late 1980s but was halted for many years before external work resumed in the 21st century.

The building’s triangular plan creates three large faceted faces that taper to a peak; the structure was intended for mixed hotel and commercial use. For decades it stood as an unfinished shell that became a high-profile symbol of interrupted development.

Work on the exterior resumed in the 2000s and the façade has been completed, though the interior has not been opened as a conventional hotel to most visitors. The structure remains primarily a landmark visible across central Pyongyang.

Located in central Pyongyang, the Ryugyong Hotel sits near major boulevards and is visible from many points across the city, forming a key element of Pyongyang’s modern skyline.

• Scale and construction history: A 105-storey, pyramid-shaped skyscraper dominating Pyongyang’s skyline; external shell largely completed after long construction delays.

What to See#

• Pyramid structure and wings: The three-winged pyramid structure contains multiple internal floors and service areas; the exterior rise is the city skyline’s most recognizable modernist silhouette.

Visible from many points in central Pyongyang; visits to the surrounding area are included in guided city tours organized by DPRK-licensed operators.

• The Ryugyong Hotel is not a typical hotel-visits (and access) depend on the building's status and state tours.
• Photographs are permitted from public viewpoints, but entry is restricted and often cinematic rather than hospitable-expect the building to be part of a city-view circuit rather than a stay option.