Its destruction in October 2015 was decried as a defining moment of ISIL's barbarism. Built two thousand years ago as a tribute to the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, Palmyra's triumphal arch stood as a testament to the power of the Roman Empire. Placed at the entrance to the Temple of Bel, Palmyra's most important site, it was a thing of outstanding beauty.
Next month, in an act of resilience and defiance, a 3D-printed replica of the arch will come to Trafalgar Square, where it will stand until September. It will then head home, back to Palmyra, where it will stand once again. A true act of resilience.
The project's director Roger Michel has said “People say what would happen if ISIS come back and blow it up again and the answer is if we have rebuilt it once we can do it again, and the second time it would cost a lot less... In the West we have a fetish about originality but other cultures are much more concerned about symbolism.”
We can't wait to see this brave and touching tribute from up close.
| What | 3D Printed Palmyra Arch, Trafalgar Square |
| Where | Trafalgar Square, Westminster, London, WC2N 5DN | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Charing Cross (underground) |
| When |
18 Apr 16 – 18 Jun 16, Opens 18th April |
| Price | £FREE |
| Website | Click here for more information |
