The Atomic Dome Hiroshima Japan - History Lesson Print

The so called "A" Dome or Atomic Dome was a government building in the heart of the city of Hiroshima; the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. On 6th August 1945 the American Bomber "Enola Gay" dropped the first atom bomb in history on the the city of Hiroshima. This building which was very close to the Hypocentre or Ground Zero was immediately reduced to a shell by the overwhelming power of the bomb blast. Most of the city was totally devastated. Fires raged for days and because the vast majority of the buildings were constructed from wood very few remained in evidence at all. The remaining shell of this once grand building was subsequently on the verge of collapse and money poured in to rescue it for future generations to come, as a stark visual reminder of the destructive power of atomic weapons. It now has internal steel supports and is carefully monitored for earthquake resistance too. The first plant to emerge from the decimated ground was the cherry tree which became a symbol of peace along with the crane; many people fold crane birds out of Origami paper. The cranes nest in the A Dome and can be seen atop the dome. Japanese schools take their classes of children on field trips to view this site and learn about the past.