Urakami Cathedral

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St. Mary's Cathedral, often known as Urakami Cathedral (Japanese: 浦上天主堂 Urakami Tenshudō) after its location, is a Roman Catholic church located in the district of Urakami, Nagasaki.

Construction of the original Urakami Cathedral, a brick Romanesque building, began in 1895, after a long-standing ban on Christianity was lifted. When completed in 1914, it was the largest Catholic church in East Asia.

Urakami Cathedral Jan.1946
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Urakami Cathedral Jan.1946
A statue of St. Agnes, from the Urakami Cathedral
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A statue of St. Agnes, from the Urakami Cathedral

The atomic bomb that fell on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945 detonated in Urakami, only 500m (1640 ft) from the cathedral, which was completely destroyed. What remained of the cathedral is now on display in the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum.

A replacement was built in 1959, and remodeled to more closely resemble the original in 1980. Statues and artifacts damaged in the bombing, including a French Angelus bell, are now displayed on the grounds. The nearby Peace Park contains remnants of the original cathedral's walls.

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