Cultural Snapshots

Hiroshima Genbaku Dome

Society

As one of the few structures near the epicenter of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima to remain upright, the Genbaku Dome has become a symbol of the tragedy.
  • English
  • 日本語
  • 简体字
  • 繁體字
  • Français
  • Español
  • العربية
  • Русский

A Symbol of the Atomic Bombing

Hiroshima’s Genbaku Dome—also known as the A-Bomb Dome—is a brick building designed by the Czech architect Jan Letzel that was completed in 1915 as the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall. In 1945, the structure housed national and municipal government offices. As it was located just 160 meters from the epicenter of the blast, most of the building’s walls were destroyed in the bombing on August 6, 1945, but it was one of the few structures in the area to remain upright. In the postwar era it became a symbol of the atomic bombing; in 1996 it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Preservation work has helped to keep the building standing.

(Originally written in English. Banner photo © Pixta.)

Hiroshima atomic bomb