Monumental avenues of a closed capital
Pyongyang was largely rebuilt after the Korean War as a showcase of monumental socialist architecture, with wide avenues, vast plazas and towering monuments. Visitors can only travel on escorted tours arranged through approved operators, with fixed itineraries. Typical stops include Kim Il Sung Square, the Juche Tower on the Taedong River, the Arch of Triumph and the deep stations of the Pyongyang Metro. The pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel dominates the skyline. Cold noodles, naengmyeon, are the city's best-known dish.