North Korea has abandoned 'Hotel of Doom'

North Korea has abandoned 'Hotel of Doom'

It was supposed to be the biggest hotel in the world. Instead, it has become the largest abandoned building in the world. The pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel is 330 meters (1,080 feet) high and is one of the most remarkable features of the Pyongyang skyline. The structure consists of 105 floors and originally, it was to house five restaurants turning between 3,000 and 7,665 rooms.

Construction began in 1987 and North Korea responded to other high-rise development projects in western and Asian cities during the Cold War. For the North Korean leaders, it was also an attempt to bring Western investors to the market. The opening of the hotel was scheduled for June 1989 for the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students, but problems with construction methods and materials have been resolved.

In 1992, after reaching its architectural height, construction stopped due to the economic crisis and famine in North Korea after the collapse of the Soviet bloc. At that time, the construction of the hotel cost $ 750 million, consuming 2% of North Korea's GDP. For more than a decade, the unfinished building was empty and without windows, fixtures or fittings, appearing like a massive concrete shell while a rusty construction crane remained at the top.

In 2008, the construction took over by the Egyptian company Orascom. The company had also reached an agreement to operate the North Korean telecommunications network and install antennas at the top of the building. In 2011, the work was finished. Ryogyong Hotel had windows but little work had been done inside the hotel. Since then, there have been many rumors that the hotel has finally opened but until today, it remains unoccupied.

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