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"It is a cruel irony that a region so blessed with the treasures of early human civilizations is also among those most troubled by conflict. As the violence threatens to annihilate some of history's greatest monuments, we count the cost of our irreplaceable losses." by Kieron Monks
Hi friends,
Issue 32 includes some of the greatest historical buildings/places in the world, especially in the Middle East, that you will never see because of wars, revolutions, terrorist organizations, rebellions and other various conflicts... I'm going to show you 10 of those priceless monuments totally or partially demolished in conflicts. Let's start...
1. Great Mosque of Samarra, IRAQ
Once the largest mosque in the world, built in the 9th century on the Tigris River north of Baghdad. The mosque is famous for the Malwiya Tower, a 52-meter minaret with spiraling ramps for worshipers to climb. Among Iraq's most important sites, it even featured on banknotes. The site was bombed in 2005, in an insurgent attack on a NATO position, destroying the top of the minaret and surrounding walls.
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2. The Buddhas of Bamyan, AFGHANISTAN
The most spectacular legacy of Buddhism in the war-torn country, among the tallest standing Buddhas in the world -the larger at 53 meters, the other 35- had survived over 1,500 years since being carved out of sandstone. Taliban considered the monuments idolatrous and destroyed them with dynamite.
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3. The ancient city of Bosra, SYRIA
Continually inhabited for 2,500 years, and became the capital of the Romans' Arabian Empire. The centerpiece is a magnificent Roman theater dating back to the second century that survived intact until the current conflict. Archaeologists have revealed the site is now severely damaged mortar shelling.
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4. Norias of Hama, SYRIA
These 20-meter wide water wheels were first documented in the 5th century, representing an ingenious early irrigation system. Seventeen of the wooden norias (a machine for lifting water into an aqueduct) survived to present day and became Hama's primary tourist attraction, noted for their groaning sounds as they turned. Heritage experts documented several wheels being burned by fighters in 2014.
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5. Nimrud, IRAQ
The ancient Assyrian city around Nineveh Province, Iraq was home to countless treasures of the empire, including statues and monuments. Following the 2003 invasion the site has been devastated by looting, with many of the stolen pieces finding homes in museums abroad.
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6. Crac des Chevaliers, SYRIA
The crusader castle from the 11th century survived centuries of battles and natural disasters, becoming a World Heritage site in 2006 along with the adjacent castle of Qal'at Salah El-Din. The walls were severely damaged by regime airstrikes and artillery in 2013, and rebels took positions within it.
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7. Palmyra, SYRIA
An "oasis in the Syrian desert" according to UNESCO, this Aramaic city has stood since the second millennium BC and featured some of the most advanced architecture of the period. The site subsequently evolved through Greco-Roman and Persian periods, providing unique historic insight into those cultures. It is feared that Palmyra has now been devastated by looting.
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8. Cyrene, LIBYA
A key city for the Greeks and Romans, established in 630 BC. Famed as the basis for enduring myths and legends, such as that of the huntress heroine of the same name and bride of Apollo. The ruins were some of the best preserved from that period, but in the wake of Libya's revolution, vast tracts have been bulldozed including its unique necropolis complex.
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9. Jonah's Tomb, IRAQ
The resting place of biblical prophet Jonah, along with a tooth believed to be from the whale that consumed him. The site dated to the 8th century BC, and was of great importance to Christian and Muslim faiths. It was entirely blown up by ISIS militants in 2014 as part of their campaign against perceived apostasy.
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10. Old Beirut, LEBANON
A 15-year civil war of incredible brutality, successive battles with Israel, and sweeping urban development has robbed the "Paris of the Middle East" of much of its visual luster. Once known for its landscape of swaggering Ottoman, French and Art Deco architecture, officials say just 400 of 1200 protected historic buildings remain.
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