Plans Reinstated to Build Arch of Ba'al in NYC
An arch that stood before the Temple of Ba'al in Palmyra, Syria, before it was destroyed by ISIS will be recreated in New York City on Sept. 19.
The Institute for Digital Archaeology announced it would build a full-size 48-foot tall reproduction of the Victory Arch that stood for 1,800 years in front of the Temple of Ba'al. It already displayed a replica in London’s Trafalgar Square in April for UNESCO Heritage week.
Earlier this year, the IDA cancelled plans to build the arch in Times Square, but recently announced plans to build it in New York’s City Hall Park.
"There are few cities in the world as much defined by their architecture as New York. The Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge — all symbols of the audacity, strength, technical prowess, diversity and optimism of what Ezra Pound called 'the most beautiful city in the world.' It is also a city that has known terrible loss — first and foremost the loss of life, but also the loss of familiar landmarks that helped inform the city's identity," the IDA said in a statement.
"The Triumphal Arch, a symbol of resilience in the face of loss, will be a fitting tribute to America's great metropolis. The arch will stand in City Hall Park, surrounded by buildings adorned with classical features suggesting the common cultural roots of East and West. We hope that you will visit us this fall to consider the relationship between people and the places they inhabit," it continued.
The original arch was built in the third century and was one of Syrians biggest tourist attractions until it was destroyed by ISIS in 2015.
The arch was built by Roman Emperor Septimius Severus in front of a temple that was used to worship the pagan god, Bel, mentioned often in the Bible as Ba'al.
