A-Bomb Dome

A-Bomb Dome is one of Hiroshima’s most known images. A-Bomb Dome is a World Heritage Site. Hiroshima A-Bomb Dome is one of the commonly used names for what is official is known as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Domu). Another informal name is the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome. A-Bomb Dome is Hiroshima’s best-known symbol and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The A-Bomb Dome is located just across the river from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. A-Bomb Dome Prior to the Hiroshima Bombing, the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome was known as the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. For some time after the bombing it was believed that the A-Bomb Dome was ground zero, however later detailed calculations found that it was 150m away. The concept of ground zero is a bit of misnomer as the atomic bomb exploded (as planned) approximately 600m (2000 feet) above the city. A-Bomb Dome Picture (above): One of the rarely seen angles of the A-Bomb Dome. There are key points of interest here; the rubble that has been left around the A-Bomb Dome and the preservative beams that can be seen through the windows. There has been at least two sets of preservation works on the A-Bomb Dome. Additional protection has been provided in the form of capping on the top of the walls. Preservation of the A-Bomb Dome over time will become more complicated as the building materials have been exposed to weather where they wouldn’t normally have been exposed and the materials like concrete and mortar would have degraded by the Hiroshima bombing. A-Bomb Dome Picture (above): Is this a disturbing or strange concept for a picture? I know people like to have their picture taken in front of famous landmarks, but I just found this to be a little disturbing. Here a school group were having their picture taken in front of a great symbol that represents tragedy, war, death, loss, pain and sorrow. These people were not alone in having their picture taken in front of the A-Bomb Dome, it seemed disrespectful to me as there are still people alive today that lived through or had family that died in the Hiroshima bombing. It did however remind me of the similarity to a Shinto Shrine, although the related event is normally further in the past. A-Bomb Dome Pictures Here are some additional pictures of the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome. Clicking on the thumbnail will allow you to view a larger version. From there you can view very high resolution versions. |