Urakami Cathedral

 

Construction of the original Urakami Cathedral, a brick Romanesque

building, began in 1895 after the long-standing ban on Christianity was

lifted.

When completed in 1914, it was the largest Catholic church in East Asia.

 

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The atomic bomb that detonated on August 9, 1945, exploded in Urakami,

just 500 meters from the cathedral, completely destroying it. The remains

of the original cathedral are now on display at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb

Museum.

A replacement church was built in 1959 and was remodeled in

1980 to more closely resemble the original brick building.

 

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The nearby the Ground Zero in Peace Park contains remnants of the

Ruins of Urakami Cathedral.