Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima

The Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima is a valuable witness of the ravages of the atomic bombs used in war for the first time in history. It was registered as a World Heritage Site in 1996 as a negative legacy that conveys the horrors of nuclear weapons and the misery of war.
As a symbol of the abolition of nuclear weapons and world peace, many people from around the world are visiting even now. In 2016, former President Obama visited the Atomic Bomb Dome for the first time as the incumbent president of the United States, and was deeply moved.
The site dome, which continues to stand in the aftermath of the exposure, is officially called the Hiroshima Peace Monument, and there are “Peace Memorial Park”, “A child’s statue of the atomic bomb”, etc. in the vicinity. This is a spot that you should visit once to think about peace.
After the war, while there were almost no buildings left, the figure standing with the framework and some walls standing out is naturally called “the atomic bomb dome”. However, immediately after the end of the war there were also voices of hope for demolition, as it reminded us of the danger of collapse and the miserable memories of the atomic bomb. However, thanks to the people who embarked on the preservation movement to keep the memory of the war weathered, it has kept its appearance now.
Many visitors have the impression that “it is surprisingly small” because there are large and modern buildings in the vicinity. The dome, which has a frame-like appearance in a modern building, further emphasizes the atomic bomb’s destructive power and dreadness, and plays a role in conveying the misery of war to the present. It can be said that it is a symbol calling for peace and nuclear abolition from Hiroshima to the world.
The atomic bomb dome has maintained its appearance just after the bombing by performing three reinforcement work after the war. For preservation and security, you can not visit inside. It looks like looking from the outside of the fence, but the focus is still on the dome.
The original building is a three-story brick building with a five-story staircase in the middle and an oval dome with a copper plate on it. It can be imagined that it was a fairly modern building for most of the wooden buildings at the time. The fact that the dome part, which was a symbol of the building, exposed the steel frame has a powerful force that makes the fear of the atomic bomb feel realistic.

The World Cultural Heritage as a building conveyed the disaster of nuclear weapons

Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima was registered into the World Cultural Heritage as a building which conveyed the disaster of nuclear weapons in 1996.
Originally, the name of Atomic Bomb Dome was “Hiroshima product exhibition building”. It was built as the facility which carry out exhibition and sale of the product article in Hiroshima in 1915, and an art exhibition and an exposition were also held. The name was changed to the “Hiroshima encouragement-of-industry hall” in 1933.

One of the famous places in Hiroshima of those days

The designer of this building is the builder of Czechoslovakia Mr. Jan Letzel. It was a building of 3 stories, and the oval dome of the copper sheet was put on the top. Almost all the buildings of the central part of a town of Hiroshima at the time were wooden 2 stories, and such Europe style building was very new. So, it was counted by one of the famous places in Hiroshima of those days.

The first atomic bombing in human history

At 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 6, 1945.
About 160 meters southeast from “Hiroshima encouragement-of-industry hall”, the first atomic bombing in human history exploded at the point of 600 meters above the ground. The pressure of the bomb blast was 35 tons per 1 square meter, and the wind velocity was 440 meters per second.

All the persons having been inside the hall died instantly

The building was exposed to the bomb blast and heat rays, and it blow fire out from the ceiling and was burned down. Although the central part of the main building escaped collapse miraculously, but all the persons having been inside the hall died instantly. After the war, the wreckage of old “Hiroshima encouragement-of-industry hall” came to be called “Atomic Bomb Dome” by citizen because of its form as cupola of the top.

As the symbol of “No more Hiroshimas”

At the present, as the symbol of “No more Hiroshimas”, the figure, which leaves the tragic state at the time of contamination, appeals for abolition of nuclear weapons, and the importance of permanent peace to the world through different periods of history.
*You cannot enter the inside of the “Atomic Bomb Dome”. It is only a visit from the outside.

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