Date of designation: June 27, 1995 The Atomic Bomb Dome was built in 1915 (Taisho 4) as the Hiroshima Prefectural Products Exhibition Hall. The European-style building with its copper-roofed egg-shaped dome rising in the middle was unusual and was a symbol of Hiroshima at the time. In addition to displaying and selling local products, it also played a role as a museum and art gallery, hosting the Prefectural Art Exhibition, and in 1933 (Showa 8) it was renamed the Industrial Promotion Hall. On August 6, 1945 (Showa 20), the atomic bomb hit the building just 160 meters from the hypocenter. As the blast hit almost directly above, some of the building's walls escaped collapse. In 1996 (Heisei 8), the Atomic Bomb Dome was designated a World Heritage Site.