IS destroys ancient iconic Arch of Triumph in ‘doomed’ city of Palmyra

The Arch of Triumph was one of the most recognizable sites in Palmyra, the central city affectionately known by Syrians as the “Bride of the Desert,” which the IS group seized in May. The monumental arch sat atop the famed colonnaded streets of the ancient city, which linked the Roman Empire to Persia and the East. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the IS group blew up the arch but left the colonnades in place.

It’s as though there is a curse that has befallen this city and I expect only news that will shock us. If the city remains in their hands the city is doomed.

Antiquities director Maamun Abdulkarim

In August, the Sunni Muslim militants blew up the temple of Baal Shamin, and then the Temple of Bel, one of the best preserved Roman-era sites. Earlier this month, it was also confirmed that the militants had destroyed some of the best preserved of Palmyra’s funeral towers, sandstone constructions built to hold the remains of the ancient city’s richest families.

World Arch of Triumph