An act of defiance: Palmyra arch ISIS tried to destroy to be built in London and New York
AN ancient Palmyra arch attacked by the Islamic State (ISIS) will be rebuilt in London and New York as an act of defiance to the evil jihadis.
An ancient Palmyra arch ISIS tried to destroy will be rebuilt in London and New York
The 2,000-year-old monument is all that remains of the Temple of Bel after militants intent on destroying things they deemed blasphemous razed the site.
But the famous arch will now be rebuilt in Trafalgar Square and Times Square in as a "call to action" over the jihadis' destruction of antiquities.
It is really a political statement, a call to action
The 15-metre structure, which stood at the temple's entrance and is still standing today in Syria, will be recreated using a 3D printer.
The Institute of Digital Archaeology (IDA) will reportedly fund the project which they hope will draw attention to what is happening in Syria, Iraq and Libya.
IDA executive director Roger Michel said: "It is really a political statement, a call to action, to draw attention to what is happening in Syria and Iraq and now Libya.
"We are saying to them ‘if you destroy something we can rebuild it again’."
ISIS jihadis razed the historic site of the Temple of Bel in Syria
Speaking to The Times, he added: "The symbolic value of these sites is enormous. We are restoring dignity to people.
"We selected the arch as a specific tribute to the last remaining portion of the ancient site. sadly, I don' think it will be around for very long."
ISIS jihadis targeted tombs and statues they deemed as blasphemous
Over the past year ISIS jihadis have attacked sites throughout Palmyra as they attempted to erase the Middle East's pre-Islamic history.
Militants seized the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Damascus, known as the 'Pearl of the Desert', in May.
ISIS jihadis preparing to blow up an ancient temple in Syria
Islamic State group blows up temple in Syria's Palmyra
They beheaded the its 82-year-old former antiquities chief and strung his body up.
ISIS posted videos online of the Temple of Bel being destroyed after packing explosives into the historic site and blowing it up.
United Nations (UN) experts said the main building of the temple plus a row of columns had been destroyed.
Alexy Karenowska, director of technology at the IDA, added: "Reproductions/models of the structure, large and small, will be produced and installed around the world in schools, museums and prominent public spaces."