Hiroshima Peace Memorial (広島平和記念碑), commonly called the Atomic Bomb Dome or Genbaku Dōmu (原爆ドーム, A-Bomb Dome), in Hiroshima, Japan, is part of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The ruin serves as a memorial to the people who were killed in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Over 70,000 people were killed instantly, and another 70,000 suffered fatal injuries from the radiation.
The building was designed by the Czech architect Jan Letzel. It was completed in April 1915 and was named the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition (HMI). The building was located in the largest business district next to the Aioi Bridge and was primarily used for arts and educational exhibitions. The building now known as the Genbaku (A-Bomb) Dome was the only structure left standing near the bomb’s hypocentre.