4The Temple of Bel, Palmyra, Syria
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Palmyra, an ancient city in Syria, was home to several historic structures, including the Temple of Bel, dedicated in 32 AD to the Mesopotamian god Bel. The temple was a remarkable example of Greco-Roman and Eastern architectural fusion. In 2015, the Islamic State (ISIS) deliberately demolished the temple as part of their campaign against pre-Islamic cultural sites. The destruction of the Temple of Bel was a profound loss to the world’s archaeological and historical community.