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Atomic Bomb Dome
former Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall |
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#1: The northwest side relatively keeps the original wall surface. |
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DATA |
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 Design: Jan LETZEL
Location: 1-10 Ote-machi Naka-ku, Hiroshima City
Purpose of Use: Display local products, etc.
Completed in: Apr 1915
Total Floor Area: 3069sqm (at the time of completion)
Structure: Bricks, RC in part; three-storied, five-storied in part
map (mapion)
map (Google Map) |
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The A-bomb Dome attracts the most tourists in Hiroshima. Even before the A-bombing, this building with an elliptical copper dome was a popular destination for many tourists.
However, its earthquake resistance was utterly deficient*. It collapsed
without standing the fierce blast at the time of the explosion. Ironically,
its monumental value might have been enhanced because it crumbled down.
The Dome has survived to this day even though it was often on the verge
of demolition. The Dome is supported by steel beams and its cracks are
injected with resin. It has narrowly escaped collapse but might fall in
an earthquake any time.
The Dome was designed by a Czech architect, Jan LETZEL (1880-1925). LETZEL
had worked as an architect of art nouveau (photo #9). Like many other art
nouveau artists, he must have headed for Japan. He designed half-Japanese
half-Western buildings such as Matsushima Park Hotel but almost all of
his works were lost and do not exist.
The Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall was built by Hiroshima
Prefecture as a center to expand sales routes of local products which had
increased in volume and variety due to the demand created by the Shino-Japanese
War. It was renamed Hiroshima Prefectural Products Exhibition Hall in 1921
and Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall in 1933. Hiroshima
local products were displayed and sold; cultural activities such as Hiroshima
Prefecture Art Exhibition, Exposition, and others were also held. In March
1944, when Japan was still fighting the war, it lost its function of promoting
industry and was used as public offices.
What I think is excellent about this architecture is to have created an
open riverside landscape, with its facade facing the river. Hiroshima has
been a city of rivers, but now many buildings face the street instead of
the river. Many can be learned from the hall to think again about landscaping
river vicinities. |
[Footnote]
*Other A-bombed buildings such as the Rest House and former Bank of Japan
Hiroshima Branch didn’t completely collapse though they stood near the
hypocenter. A campus building of Sophia University, which LETZEL designed
during the same period as the Dome, fell down totally in the Great Kanto
Earthquake (1923).
[Access]
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TRAM : One minute on foot from Hiroden Genbaku-Dome-mae |
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BUS : Two minutes on foot from Kamiya-cho or Shimin-kyujo-mae but stop; six minutes on foot from Hiroshima Bus Center |
[For Visitors]
The A-bomb Dome can be visited anytime, free of charge. |
#2 |
#3 : facade faces the river |
#4 |
#5 : old fountain |
#6 : The embankment design around Peace Park is one of the most entrancing
in Japan. |
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| #7, #8 : Lantern floating is seen on the river in front of the Dome
on the evening of August 6. First it was held to pray for the deceased
but now rather to send out messages of peace. |
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#9: Hotel Europe |
#10 |
#11: Smetana Hall |
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Photos of Prague
(Photo#9) Hotel Europe in Prague is said to have partly been designed by
LETZEL
(Photo#10, #11) The Municipal House, with its central dome and the making
around the roof, looks like the Industrial Promotion Hall. |
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Created on Sep 4, 2003 Last updated on Jul 3, 2008 Written by makoto Translated by jasmine Photos taken by makoto Camera: CanonPowerShotG3 & NikonD70 |
| Photos on this page are licensed under a Creative Commons License. You are free to copy and make commercial use of them under the conditions
"Attribution" and "No Derivative Works". [about copyright] |
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 PEACE CENTER INDEX |
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| (CC) arch-hiroshima 2006 |
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