Statues of late leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il keep watch as North Koreans celebrate the birthday of the nation's founding father.
It is 101 years since founder Kim Il-Sung was born.
State TV showed thousands of North Koreans paying their respects and offering flowers.
There was no mention of the tensions that have been stoked in recent weeks by the young leader Kim Jong-un.
His grandfather led the country from its founding in 1948 through the 1950-53 Korean War until he died in 1994.
