Attractions, which lost world

September 1, 2015 the United Nations has confirmed the destruction of one of the most important ancient monuments in Syria - the temple of Bel. Built in the I century BC, the sanctuary was destroyed by the militants of the terrorist group "Islamic state" as extremist and banned in Russia. We remembered what other cultural treasures were destroyed by the fault of nature or of people in recent years.

Palmyra (Syria)

Attractions, which lost world

The news of the devastation in the Syrian Palmyra, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are coming almost every week. Militants "Islamic State" captured the city in May 2015, and since then smash the cultural treasures in the ancient part of the city, occasionally spitting out a video of it in the net.

One of the first attack suffered statue "Lion Allat", discovered by Polish archaeologists during excavations in 1977. The figure was divided into parts, but it is put together and set in the temple of the goddess Allat. After the start of military action in Syria, a statue that had no copies were trying to protect by imposing bags to the ground and having covered iron box. "Leo Allat" was destroyed by militants in June 2015.

In August, it became known about the destruction of the ancient Temple of Baal Shamin. Built in the year 131 BC. e., it was opened by Swiss archaeologists in the 50-ies of XX century. Presumably, before the blow temple IG militants publicly executed keeper monuments Palmyra Khalid Asaad. 82-year-old archaeologist, was first abducted and tortured. Islamists demanded the release information about the hidden treasures of Palmyra, as well as a scientist suspected of contacts with Syrian intelligence. As a result, Asaad was beheaded, and his body was hung on one of the ancient towers in the Palmyra area. Recently, one of the most important ancient monuments in Syria was destroyed - the temple of Bel. Islamists not only destroy cultural values, but also rob Palmyra, said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. IG members sold artifacts on the black market and the proceeds, up to several tens of millions of dollars, are used to finance the activities of the grouping.

Nimrud (Iraq)

Attractions, which lost world

In April 2015 the group "Islamic State" members posted videos of destruction of the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud in the north of Iraq. The film appeared in March confirmed the information about the destruction of ancient monuments in Nimrud.

Part of the artifacts managed to take out of the city before it was overrun by Islamists. But the militants attacked an Assyrian palace, built in 879 BC. e that made it to the ground by bulldozers. Considered destroyed and statues of winged deities Lamassu, but according to other sources, they can be taken out of the city by the IG members for resale on the black market.

Fully assess the damage from the destruction of monuments of Nimrud is not yet possible. "There (in Nimrud) was many things - reliefs, statues, the famous winged bulls. (...) They erase our history ", - said in a BBC interview Iraqi archaeologist Lamia Ghailani.

UNESCO monuments in the cities of the Kathmandu Valley (Nepal)

Attractions, which lost world

In April and May 2015 Nepal has experienced several devastating earthquakes. Most devastating tremors reached magnitude 7, 9. Two powerful earthquakes, as well as over a hundred repeated avtoshokov killed more than 8,000 people. Destruction and damage were nearly half a million homes and more than 700 attractions in the cities of the Kathmandu valley, part of which is included in the UNESCO list. Severely damaged buildings in the Durbar Square, located in the center of the capital of Nepal - Kathmandu. Local temples and pagodas, which are considered by Hindu shrines were built between the XII and XVIII centuries. Also earthquake very damaged Buddhist Swayambhunath temple complex, whose name means "who created himself from nothing to a million million years ago, for all and for all." Stupa Bodnath V century BC. e. It managed to resist, in contrast to the tower Dharahara. The construction of the XIX century the height of 62 m was destroyed by the very base. One tower has already suffered from the earthquake in 1934, but by the beginning of the two thousandth has been restored and is open to tourists. The newly reconstructed monument, likely will not.

Earthquake caused great damage and "the city of believers" Bahtapuru located 15 kilometers from Kathmandu. Damage received about 80% of the local ancient temples.

In mid-June it was reported that UNESCO sites in Nepal reopened for tourists on their reconstruction requires more than $ 18 million, and Tourism Minister Kripasur Sherpa urged people "to come to Nepal to help him recover."

Mosul (Iraq)

Attractions, which lost world

The second largest city in Iraq's Mosul came under the control of the "Islamic state" over a year ago - in June 2014. Since coming out of it on a regular basis information on the killings of civilians and the destruction of cultural monuments.

Militants began to undermine local Shiite mosques and shrines, venerated by Christians, Assyrians. And in February 2015 destroyed the ancient statues collection of the local museum. Islamists sledgehammers smashed artifacts dating back thousands of years, as well as through drills have destroyed a statue of a winged bull of Nineveh, founded in the IX century BC. e. Their actions Islamists filmed on video and explained the struggle against idolatry: "The Prophet told us to get rid of the statues and relics, it was followed by doing the same thing, when the country won." The damage caused to the museum, one of his former employees archaeologist Lamia Ghailani compared in scale with the explosion of Buddha statues by the Taliban in 2001. In addition, from the hands of jihadists he suffered and the local library. Valuable books, manuscripts and maps, were part of the Iraqi cultural heritage, but it is believed insurgents inciting dissent, were dumped into the fire, diluted in the yard.

Mosul damage caused to the library is not the first time. In 2003 it was looted during the invasion of US troops in Iraq, but later managed to gather a collection of the library, in many ways - by local residents, purchases on the black market rare books. This time from 8000 to 10 000 rare folios irrevocably destroyed.

Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo (Egypt)

Attractions, which lost world

The Cairo Museum of Islamic Art had to work only a few years after a major restoration, which lasted from 2003 to 2010 and cost $ 10 million. Now the cultural institution is closed again because half destroyed.

The museum was one of the victims. A bomb planted in a car intended for the Office of the Egyptian capital of the security forces, but the blast was so strong that seriously destroyed and located across the street museum. The building collapsed ceiling, broke down the electrical system and water supply. But most importantly, in the museum there is not a single glass things. It was completely destroyed and can not be restored collection of antique lamps from mosques. Total irretrievably lost are considered more than 160 exhibits.

Now the building and the exhibits are restored. On the restoration of the museum back in 2014, UNESCO has allocated funds, but not enough - $ 100 000. Therefore, launched a "people's campaign" to raise money around the world.

Ancient rock art in the park of Santa Elena (Spain)

Attractions, which lost world

rock painting over the age of 5000 years destroyed the thieves in the Andalusian municipality of Santa Elena National Park. Entered in the UNESCO list of the image of a man with disproportionately long arms was destroyed after trying to split it with a piece of rock. That restore the image will not succeed, El Mundo Spanish newspaper said local mayor Juan Caminero, who in 41 years before it was in the group of children who have found this painting: they accidentally stumbled upon a cave with ancient rock paintings. The place has been called "the cave of schoolchildren."

Mayan pyramid archaeological complex Nohmul (Belize)

Attractions, which lost world

In the spring of 2013 Belize has lost one of the oldest Mayan pyramids in the country. The ancient building, whose age numbered about 2,300 years, was demolished by bulldozers belonging to a construction company D-Mar Construction. Pyramid, part of the archaeological complex Nohmul, located on private land. However, this does not relieve the owner's obligation to preserve it. According to the laws of Belize, under the protection of the state are all the monuments built in the pre-Columbian era.

According to the workers, snesshy pyramid during gravel extraction for the repair of roads, they took over the natural monument mound. The head of the Belize Institute of Archeology Jaime Ave did not believe in this version: "These guys knew it was an old building. Their actions - as a stab in the back. Why they were not just go to the quarry, which has no cultural value? "

From the ancient building remains small central part. According to experts, to restore the pyramid is impossible. Such destruction - is not the first case in the country. Belize similarly complex were demolished in San Estevane and two more pyramids in Louisville.

Al-Askari Mosque (Iraq)

Attractions, which lost world

Al-Askari Shrine, located in the city of Samarra, and is considered the main temple of the country's Shiite, repeatedly subjected to attacks. The first explosion occurred near her in February 2006 during the Iraq war. Then destroyed the Golden Dome Mosque. Attack was an occasion for clashes between Shiites and Sunnis, in which thousands of people died.

A little over a year near the Al-Askari thundered a second explosion. At this time were destroyed minarets. The next day response thundered explosions destroyed several Sunni mosques.

Al-Askari, lay in ruins, was restored. In 2007, UNESCO made Samarra World Heritage in Danger, and the reconstruction of the mosque took together Shia and Sunni communities. It has become a symbol of unification. In 2009, the restoration works were completed, and the dome of the Al-Askari was again covered with gold. At the same time the mosque was opened for believers.

Buddhas of Bamiyan (Afghanistan)

Attractions, which lost world

In February 2001, the Taliban, Mullah Mohammad Omar, the leader issued a decree on the destruction carved into the rocks Bamiyan statues of Buddha as they "supplied for worship, it is a mistake." Ancient giant statues destroyed by all means at hand. They fired anti-aircraft guns, mined, blown up, and even a rocket attack. As a result of the statue, which age had more than 1,500 years, were wiped out.

Save the Bamiyan Buddhas emerging from the invasion of Genghis Khan, tried the whole world community. The then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan flew in specially for this purpose in Pakistan, but it was too late. The final decision on the restoration of the statues was not taken for another ten years. UNESCO has been in 2011, but not in favor of the Bamiyan Buddhas. The restoration required a lot of money - up to $ 12 million In addition, the sculptures by more than half, would consist of a new stone.. "We should think about the audience, which does not need a fake: it needs a script. A genuine statues destroyed "- said at the time Assistant Director General of UNESCO for Culture Francesco Bandarin.