To see something of Pyongyang's prewar history is a challenge. The Taedong Gate was the eastern gate to the original walled city of Pyongyang, and was built in the 6th century. The current gate was rebuilt in 1635, but is one of the oldest remaining structures in the city - a reminder that Pyongyang was once a traditional Asian city rather than the post-Soviet monolith it is today.
Nearby are the other major historical sites: the Pyongyang Bell, a bronze early-warning system for fire and invasion dating from 1726, and the beautiful Ryongwang Pavilion, originally built in 1111 and rebuilt in 1670.
