There is no definitive answer to the question of whether war is ever justified. However, there can be no doubt that war results in the destruction of historical sites and monuments, which are an essential part of our shared cultural heritage. The destruction of these historic places would be a terrible loss not only for the people who live in the nation in which they are situated but for all of humankind as a whole. These locations are significant not just due to the architectural and cultural contributions they have made, but also due to the historical data that may be gleaned from visiting them.
▬Contents of this video▬
00:00 – Intro
00:14 – The Ancient City of Bosra – Syria
00:59 – Palmyra – Syria
01:46 – Buddhas of Bamiyan, Afghanistan
02:27 – Aleppo, Syria
03:24 – Old City of Dubrovnik, Croatia
04:20 – Beijing’s Old Summer Palace, China
05:06 – Malta’s Royal Opera House, Valletta
05:49 – Leuven University Library
06:34 – The Gates of Nineveh, Iraq
07:31 – Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo, Egypt
08:08 – Hiroshima’s Former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall
08:46 – Outro
The elimination of these landmarks as a result of armed conflict or terrorist activity robs us of both our history and our identity. A typical example of monuments that have been destroyed includes the Leuven University Library. Because the library serves as an essential cultural institution for the people of Belgium, its impending closure will have a profound bearing on their lives. Belgium has suffered a significant cultural setback as a result of the destruction of the library, which serves as a representation of the country’s extensive cultural history.
Another example of monuments that have been destroyed includes Jonah’s Tomb, located in Iraq. A British archeologist by the name of Austen Henry Layard began digging in the tomb in the year 1856. Inside the tomb, Layard found a number of items, one of which was a stone tablet with an inscription written in Assyrian cuneiform that made reference to Jonah. Sadly, the tomb of Jonah was destroyed by ISIS in July 2014. ISIS militants used explosives to destroy the tomb, along with several other historical sites in Nineveh.
In conclusion, it is clear that war and terrorist attacks have caused great damage to many of the world’s heritage sites, and for that reason, every effort should be made to protect these sites from the ravages of war and conflict.
World Heritage Monuments That Have Been Destroyed by War