Published on
Last updated on
Reading time: 2 minutes – Video: 2 minutes
In Iran and Lebanon, the war in the Middle East threatens centuries of history. Israeli-American airstrikes have devastated historic sites. UNESCO is urging the warring parties to preserve the exceptional heritage of the region.
This is a transcription of a report. Click on the video to watch it in full.
The Golestan Palace in Iran, one of Tehran’s oldest heritage sites, used to be adorned with mosaics and mirrors. Following an American or Israeli airstrike nearby, the explosion shattered windows and partially destroyed the famous ceilings, now littered with debris. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is not the only one affected.
Other palaces have also been damaged, totaling 132 sites according to Iranian authorities. Sites like a cultural institute or the Green Palace have suffered: “Do you see this? It fell from above,” explained a man capturing the damages at the Chehel Sotoun Palace in Isfahan on social media.
Heritage is also at risk in Lebanon, particularly in the southern city of Tyre. Recently bombed, Tyre houses invaluable Roman ruins including one of the oldest hippodromes in the Middle East. With every new strike, concerns rise. In March, two bombings hit the site perimeter damaging the walls and shattering the museum’s construction windows.
A piece of the building even reached the archaeological site. “This piece of concrete made it here, covering a distance of 200 meters. Luckily, the ruins were not touched. These ruins represent the history of Tyre and our ancestors. Of course, we fear for them,” the guide expressed.
Signs, known as the Blue Shields, have been placed to indicate heritage protection, offering minimal defense amid the ongoing war.
