Atomic Bomb Dome

This is the remnant of the former Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, which miraculously had its framework survive the atomic bombing on August 6, 1945, despite being located extremely close to the hypocenter. It is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Atomic Bomb Dome is the ruin of the former Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall (renamed from the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall at the time of the bombing), which was damaged by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 (Showa 20), shortly before the end of World War II. The building was designed by Czech architect Jan Letzel and completed in 1915.

Although the building was located just about 160 meters from the hypocenter (Shima Hospital), the bomb detonated almost directly above it. This unique circumstance caused the blast to strike the structure primarily in a vertical direction. Consequently, while all the exterior walls and the roof were blown away, the steel frame structure in the central part and a section of the outer walls miraculously avoided complete collapse, preserving its poignant appearance to this day. Tragically, every person inside the building at the time was killed instantly.

After the war, there was considerable debate regarding the Dome's preservation. However, driven by the strong desire of the citizens to pass on the horrors of the bombing to future generations and to ensure that such a catastrophe is never repeated, the decision was made for its permanent preservation.