Hiroshima Peace Memorial

Infobox World Heritage Site
WHS = Hiroshima Peace Memorial
(Genbaku Dome)


State Party = JPN
Type = Cultural
Criteria = vi
ID = 775
Region = Asia-Pacific
Year = 1996
Session = 20th
Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/775

Hiroshima Peace Memorial, commonly called the Atomic Bomb Dome or A-Bomb Dome (Japanese: 原爆ドーム "Genbaku Dome"), in Hiroshima, Japan, is part of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

History

The building was originally designed by Czech architect Jan Letzel. It was completed in April 1915, and the new building was named the "Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition" (HMI). It was formally opened to the public in August that year. In 1921 the name was changed to the "Hiroshima Prefectural Products Exhibition Hall", and again in 1933 to the "Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall".

Atomic bombing

The original target chosen for the bomb was the distinctive "T"-shaped Aioi Bridge and at 8:15 on August 6^th, 1945 the first nuclear bomb to be used against humankind detonated almost directly above the building (the actual hypocenter was 160 meters / 490 feet away and 580 meters / 1968 feet above ground).

The Genbaku dome, being the closest structure to withstand the explosion, has been preserved in the same state as immediately after the bombing, now serving as a reminder of nuclear devastation, a symbol of hope for world peace and elimination of all nuclear weapons.

China had reservations regarding the confirmation of the memorial as a World Heritage Site and the delegate of the United States to the World Heritage Committee dissociated himself from the decision. China cited the possibility that the monument could be used to downplay the fact that the enemies of Japan suffered the greatest losses of life during the war, while the United States claimed that the memorial as such would omit the necessary historical context. [ [http://whc.unesco.org/archive/repco96x.htm#annex5 WH Committee: Report of the 20th Session, Merida 1996] ]

Panorama

Gallery

ee also

*Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
*Hiroshima Witness

References

* [http://www.richard-seaman.com/Travel/Japan/Hiroshima/AtomicDome/index.html Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome]

External links

* [http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/top_e.html Official page]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/05/asia_pac_hiroshima_then_and_now/html/1.stm Trade Promotion Hall]
* [http://whc.unesco.org/sites/775.htm Official UNESCO page]
* [http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/image/dome10.gifPicture of the building before the bombing]
* [http://stevegoestravelling.blogspot.com/2004/05/a-bomb-dome-on-august-6-1945-at.html A personal commentary and a film of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park]
* [http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=34.395289,132.45357&spn=0.001485,0.002449&t=h&z=19&om=1 Hiroshima Peace Memorial on Google Maps]