Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome)

The Atomic Bomb Dome is a World Heritage Site located in Naka Ward, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. It is a building that was exposed to the atomic bomb—the first nuclear weapon used in warfare in human history. It has survived to the present day with its appearance at the time of the bombing preserved as faithfully as possible. It is known throughout the world as a symbol conveying the devastation of war, the horror of nuclear weapons, and the importance of peace. In 1996, it was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and it remains a peace memorial visited by many people today.

## The Origins of the Atomic Bomb Dome

The Atomic Bomb Dome was originally called the “Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall.” Designed by the Czech architect Jan Letzel, it was completed on April 5, 1915.

The building was a three-story brick structure with a five-story stairwell in the center, topped by an elliptical copper dome. The dome was approximately 11 meters along its major axis, 8 meters along its minor axis, and 4 meters high. At the time, it was an exceptionally modern and bold European-style building.

In those days, most buildings in Hiroshima were two-story wooden structures, so beautiful Western-style architecture was extremely rare. As a result, the building became one of Hiroshima’s popular landmarks. Its modern appearance along the river attracted people’s attention, and it was also used as a venue for cultural events such as art exhibitions and trade fairs.

The building’s name subsequently changed as follows:

- Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall
- Hiroshima Prefectural Products Exhibition Hall
- Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall

Toward the end of the war, it was used as offices for the Chugoku-Shikoku Civil Engineering Office of the Ministry of Home Affairs and a lumber company, among others.

## The Atomic Bombing

At 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945, an American B-29 bomber dropped the first atomic bomb used in human history on Hiroshima.

The atomic bomb exploded approximately 160 meters southeast of the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, at an altitude of about 600 meters. The intense blast and heat generated by the explosion reduced central Hiroshima to ruins in an instant, killing many people.

The pressure of the blast is said to have reached approximately 35 tons per square meter, with wind speeds of about 440 meters per second. The Industrial Promotion Hall was also struck by the tremendous blast and heat, and its interior was completely burned out. Many of the staff members inside the building at the time are believed to have perished.

The walls of the second and third floors collapsed, and the interior was severely damaged. However, because the explosion occurred almost directly above the building, the horizontal impact was relatively limited, allowing part of the central framework and exterior walls to miraculously remain.

After the war, the ruins of the building came to be known by local residents as the “Atomic Bomb Dome,” reflecting the shape of the iron dome framework that remained at the top.

## Efforts to Preserve the Building

For some time after the war, there were calls for the Atomic Bomb Dome to be demolished as a dangerous ruin. However, many people also believed that the fact of the atomic bombing should be preserved for future generations, and a preservation movement led mainly by local residents gradually spread.

In 1953, the building was transferred from Hiroshima Prefecture to the city of Hiroshima. In 1966, the Hiroshima City Council officially resolved to preserve it.

As the building continued to deteriorate and weather, extensive preservation work was carried out using donations collected both in Japan and abroad. Regular repairs and surveys are still conducted today in an ongoing effort to maintain the building’s appearance as closely as possible to its condition at the time of the bombing.

## Registration as a World Heritage Site

The Atomic Bomb Dome was highly regarded as a historic structure conveying the devastation caused by nuclear weapons and was designated a national historic site in 1995.

Then, in December 1996, the 20th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided to register it as a World Cultural Heritage Site.

In its World Heritage designation, the Atomic Bomb Dome was highly recognized as a valuable remnant conveying the first nuclear attack in human history and as a symbol calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons and lasting world peace.

The designated area surrounding the Atomic Bomb Dome covers approximately 0.39 hectares.

## The Atomic Bomb Dome Today

Today, the Atomic Bomb Dome stands adjacent to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and is visited by many tourists and school groups from around the world.

Only the exterior of the Atomic Bomb Dome can be viewed; visitors are not permitted to enter the building. However, the exposed iron framework and collapsed walls convey the appearance of the building at the time of the bombing and strongly impress upon visitors the horror of the atomic bomb.

The building is also illuminated at night, allowing visitors to see its quiet and mysterious appearance, which differs from its daytime view.

The surrounding area includes the following facilities dedicated to the hope for peace:

- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
- Children’s Peace Monument
- Peace Bell
- Memorial Cenotaph
- Flame of Peace

The Atomic Bomb Dome can also be viewed from the rooftop of the nearby Orizuru Tower and from sightseeing boats.

## What the Atomic Bomb Dome Communicates

The Atomic Bomb Dome is more than just a historic building. By preserving its appearance from the time of the bombing, it continues to convey to the present the devastation of war and the horror of nuclear weapons.

Together with the words “No More Hiroshimas,” it has become a symbol appealing to people around the world for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the importance of lasting world peace.

The Atomic Bomb Dome is an important peace memorial that helps ensure that this tragic history is not forgotten. It is a shared heritage of humanity that carries the wish for peace into the future.