A-Bomb Dome

Seeing this building in person was pretty intense. I remember reading about the bombing of Hiroshima in high school history class, but being able to see the structure up close is an experience I will never forget.

The atomic bombing of Hiroshima occurred on August 6th, 1945 at 8:15 am. Apparently, Hiroshima was chosen as the final target due to topography and lack of a definitive POW camp in the area. The detonation occurred almost directly above the A-Bomb Dome, with the hypocenter located only 150 meters away. It was the closest structure to withstand the explosion, as the impact from the blast was completely vertical. The building has been preserved as an UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the same state immediately following the bombing.

Previous to the bombing, the building had served as the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall.