Mangyongdae Children's Palace

The Schoolchildren's Palace Mangyongdae is a public educational institution in the North Korean capital Pyongyang. It is used for afternoon employment of children in activities outside of the school curriculum. These include the learning of musical instruments and foreign languages, the acquiring computer skills and the buzz of sports.

The facility was put into operation on May 2, 1989. It is located in the Kwangbok Street, in the north of the district Mangyongdae - guyŏk directly on the driveway to the street of the heroic youth. It is the largest of the numerous facilities in Pyongyang for extracurricular activity with 5400 children and pets. Purpose of the institution is to give children an opportunity to offer " develop their talents to their hearts content ." The cost of construction amounted to hundreds of millions of dollars.

On the front of the 5- Won- certificate from 1992 was a motive of the students palace.

Architecture

Composed of 50,000 square meters and 20,000 square meters of natural stone glass surface construction is part of a building complex that was built in 1989 for the World Festival of Youth and Students. With the semi-circular wings enclosing a courtyard, the palace forms a floor plan which is to represent the open arms of a mother. It is located on a 30 hectare site, has six floors, 650 rooms and a floor area of ​​about 100,000 square meters. Facilities include an auditorium and an indoor swimming pool as well as several gyms and music rooms.

The atrium extends over three floors and has 19.50 meters high marble columns.

Before the building is a sculpture named "Car of joy". It represents a chariot with eleven children is being pulled by two winged horses. The number of children figures symbolized the number of school years, but this was raised to the 6th session of the Supreme People's Assembly to twelve years.