Peace Memorial in Hiroshima: photo and description of the sights

The atomic bomb is one of the most terrible weapons in the history of mankind. It was first used in August 1945. The tragedy occurred early in the morning. Then an atomic bomb was dropped in the center of the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Its code name was a kind of mockery - "Kid".

From the consequences of the explosion killed 140 thousand people. The monument of this huge tragedy is the Peace Memorial in Hiroshima, or the Dome Genbaka (Gambaku). The monument became the symbol of the most pernicious force that was ever created by man - nuclear bombing. This complex does not come to enjoy its splendor. They come here to cry and remember all those who died and continue to die from radiation.

General description of the memorial

The Peace Memorial in Hiroshima is a museum located in the same park. This is the most popular tourist attraction in the metropolis. The main architect of the project was the famous Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. The Peace Memorial in Hiroshima has two buildings - "Main", the area of which is 1615 square meters, and "East" (10098 m ²⁾ . The first complex was built so that the zone that is between the raised floor and the surface of the earth reminded that humanity has the power to rise from the ashes.

In the "Main Building" there is a huge exposition devoted to the atomic bombing of the country. The materials collected for the exhibition show the terrible consequences of fires, exposures and explosions. In the "Eastern Corps" there is a cinema, where documentaries are shown, as well as a library and gallery of citizens who managed to survive after the bombing.

Before the memorial was erected

The building, which today houses the Peace Memorial, appeared in Hiroshima in 1915. It was built taking into account all European traditions, which at the beginning of the last century were a novelty for Japan. The building was a three-story house, which was designed by architect Jan Letzel from the Czech Republic. The middle part of the brick building was completed with a 25-meter dome. Using the internal staircase, one could climb here from the main entrance. The walls of the house were lined with cement plaster and stone. In the structure were located different organizations and the Exhibition Center.

History of the World War Memorial

In 1953 it was decided to create a Peace Memorial in Hiroshima, a photo of which can be seen in the article. But for the implementation of this venture undertook not immediately. Great efforts were made to resume ordinary urban life. For the implementation of the entire plan to revive the city and create a memorial, there was not enough money, no human resources, no time.

In 1963, the ruins of a building that suffered from an atomic explosion were protected by building nets. Outsiders were forbidden to enter here. Up to this point, everything was heavily overgrown with weeds, cracks increased in the walls, and the steel skeleton of the dome thoroughly rusted and threatened to collapse. The first restoration work was carried out only in 1967. Today, the memorial dome has the same appearance as in the first few minutes after the explosion. A stone is set up near it. There is always a huge number of bottles with drinking water.

Memorial to the deceased and memorial museum

The world's memorial in Hiroshima (Japan) is made in the form of an arch of stone in the style of haniwa - ancient figurines from clay. The written explanation says that the purpose of erecting the structure was a light desire to rebuild the settlement as a "City of the World". After all, this megalopolis was the first, which practically erased an atomic bomb from the face of the Earth . In the crypt of the memorial is a list of people of different nationalities who died from the explosion in 1945. In August 2015, the list totaled 297,684 names of the dead.

Local authorities also established the Memorial Museum of Peace. He should tell people about the terrible tragedy of the bombardment and the nightmarish consequences of the effect of radiation. The institution was opened in 1955. The museum stores the things of those who died, as well as other evidence of a nuclear explosion.

Children's monument

The Peace Memorial in Hiroshima (Dome Genbank) also has a design dedicated to deceased children. It is also called the "Sadako Monument" and "The Tomb of a Thousand Cranes". Schoolchildren, who often come here on an excursion, always have garlands made of paper birds in their hands. This tradition has its sad history.

Sasaki Sadako survived the bombing, when she was only two years old. And in 1955 she was diagnosed with leukemia. The baby believed that if she folded a thousand cranes from paper, she would certainly recover. Sasaki made more than 1300 birds from various wrappers. But in the end, after eight months of fighting the disease, she still died. Classmates, hard to take the death of Sasaki, decided to create a monument. It was dedicated to all the children who died as a result of the atomic bombardment. The memorial was opened in May 1958.

Other monuments of the complex

The memorial complex of the world in Hiroshima has other monuments. Together they number about 50 pieces. The most famous among them are the following monuments:

• Atomic tree is the tree of the firm. The plant was transplanted to the park in 1973. Previously, it grew at a distance of 1.3 kilometers from the epicenter of the explosion. As a result of irradiation, the green plantation dried up, but the next year it blossomed again. And thus gave hope to those who managed to survive the atomic attack.
• The monument to the poet Toge Sankiti. This is a local author who published a huge number of works calling for peace and the renunciation of atomic weapons.

The world's memorial complex also has many other sculptures that tirelessly remind us of the days of the terrible tragedy.