4The Temple of Bel, Palmyra, Syria
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.