The Middle East Visits England / myLot

London, England

April 27, 2016 10:36am CST

Last week I had a chance to see the replica Palmyra Arch that was put up in Trafalgar Square. It was only there for three days and is now about to start a tour which includes the USA and the Middle East to raise awareness of the threat to these marvels of ancient engineering. The Arch is a two thirds scale model of the original, which was destroyed by ISIS. It was made from photographs taken with 3D cameras and then computer cut from stone. The Arch has caused some controversy about recreating ancient buildings. I rather liked, as I doubt I'd have gotten the chance to see the real thing, even if it had survived.

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9 responses

Claudia Kirkland

@CRK109 (14556)

• United States

27 Apr 16

Wow that's pretty incredible! If it comes to my area, I will definitely have to go and see it in person! :)

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Ron Rybs

@Ronrybs (21503)

• London, England

28 Apr 16

Pity it was a single arch, there is an extensive amount of remains to be seen. Maybe one day

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Claudia Kirkland

@CRK109 (14556)

• United States

28 Apr 16

@Ronrybs When I visited Italy, one of the things that struck me is how the ruins remain forever. They don't tear it all down the way they do here in the US. So we can really visit history. Like when I visited the Colosseum. I went in there and could completely imagine what went on there, brutal as it was. But here, we really have no idea because it's always out with the old and in with the new. It's one thing I really don't like about my country.

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Ron Rybs

@Ronrybs (21503)

• London, England

29 Apr 16

@CRK109 It is a pity as once the hertiage is gone, you can't really rebuild it. I hope thye protectt some of the modern marvels. I love the Central Rail Stations of both Chicago and LA

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Anna

@LadyDuck (502204)

• Italy

27 Apr 16

I do not see the reason to be against the recreation of ancient buildings. I am glad that there are photos so we can see the beautiful monuments that have been destroyed by human stupidity.

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Ron Rybs

@Ronrybs (21503)

• London, England

29 Apr 16

@LadyDuck Quite agree

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Jose Juan

@quantum2020 (12054)

• Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico

27 Apr 16

As long as they raise real awareness not only in the western, but on the place where that ar located, so as to stop their destruction.

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Ron Rybs

@Ronrybs (21503)

• London, England

27 Apr 16

It is going to Dubai, but sadly Syria is still a war zone where the real Arch once was. On the plus side the whole site wasn't destroyed and some 80% of it still survives

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Jose Juan

@quantum2020 (12054)

• Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico

27 Apr 16

@Ronrybs It is a pity that war cause these type of destruction to historical monuments and other precious pieces of architecture.

Marlina

@marlina (154103)

• Canada

7 May 16

Thanks for giving us a chance to see a bit of it.

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Ron Rybs

@Ronrybs (21503)

• London, England

8 May 16

I would have gone back to see it again, but at the time I didn't realise it was only there for such a short time

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Fleur

@Fleura (34935)

• United Kingdom

9 May 16

I didn't even know about that. I know how people feel about reconstructing ancient monuments, you feel rather as though you have been tricked because it isn't the real thing, but then plenty of ancient buildings from the Parthenon in Athens to Newgrange in Ireland have been reconstructed and you do get a much better idea of what the place would have been like than from just looking at a heap of stones!

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Ron Rybs

@Ronrybs (21503)

• London, England

9 May 16

It is a difficult. When does preserving become restoring become rebuilding. I am behind any effort to save these ancient things and a recreating is okay within limits.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (381837)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Apr 16

It is such a shame when ancient monuments are destroyed by fools playing their war games. I know Bosnia lost a lot of marvellous buildings too.

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Ron Rybs

@Ronrybs (21503)

• London, England

28 Apr 16

Yes, it is a terrible loss of world hertiage. so many things we won't get the chance to see

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peavey

@peavey (16936)

• United States

27 Apr 16

I think that's really cool that they can do it. ISIS has destroyed so much history that if they can find a way to recreate it, I think it's a good thing.

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Ron Rybs

@Ronrybs (21503)

• London, England

28 Apr 16

I agree, I know it is not the real thing, but it was an experience

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