Is this the ugliest building in the world?

By DIY Maven

Esquire has proclaimed the ‘hideously ugly’ Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea as ‘The Worst Building in the History of Mankind’. The hotel’s construction began in 1987 and, over two decades later, it’s still unoccupied, which isn’t surprising, because it’s not even finished. The 3,000 room structure has 75 degree sides, which rise to an apex of 1,083 feet. Apparently, the North Korean government thinks it’s an eyesore too, as the building is routinely Photoshopped out of official government photos. Besides stating it’s hideousness, Esquire also suggests the structure is the ‘worst-built’ building in history too, for when construction was halted in 1992, rumors suggested it was because it had been engineered improperly and can never be occupied–or possibly North Korea just ran out of money to finish it.

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February 01, 2008

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theokobox

February 28, 2008

I don't even think it's ugly - it's just odd and not common. What really stinks is that it isn't being used and all those materials and space is going to waste. And I agree - walmart is way uglier then that !!

incubus_of_habit

February 04, 2008

Have the editors of Esquire never stepped inside a Wal-Mart? I'd argue the 'ugliest' buildings in the world exist mainly in US suburbs.

While the hotel in North Korea is perhaps an ugly PROJECT, you can't knock communist architecture. They go all out.

optimist

February 04, 2008

Yes, I thought the same (that it was a church) its the crane on top thats confusing! I don't think it is especially ugly in itself, but it is so out of scale with everying else that it looks ridiculous. There appear to be 25 floors just up the fins, if those are windows that we can see. Can't imagine how they would demolish it.

malleron

February 01, 2008

For a moment, I thought this was a mega-church photographed in some half-metro backwater. Needless to say, I was slightly relieved on reading it was only a hotel.

Yes, living in the Bible Belt brands a person in strange ways...