The Greatest Buildings You'll Never See, 19 Priceless Monuments Lost In Conflict (Part 1). (CNN). It is a cruel irony that a region so blessed with the treasures of early human civilizations is also among those most troubled by conflict. As the violence threatens to annihilate some of history's greatest monuments, we count the cost of our irreplaceable losses. By Kieron Monks, for CNN. greatest building world, best building in world, tallest building world, beautiful building in the world, best places in europe, best places in the world, travel, travel guide, Great Mosque of Samarra, Iraq Once the largest mosque in the world, built in the 9th century on the Tigris River north of Baghdad. The mosque is famous for the Malwiya Tower, a 52-meter minaret with spiraling ramps for worshipers to climb. Among Iraq's most important sites, it even featured on banknotes. The site was bombed in 2005, in an insurgent attack on a NATO position, destroying the top of the minaret and surrounding walls. The Buddhas of Bamyan, Afghanistan The most spectacular legacy of Buddhism in the war-torn country, among the tallest standing Buddhas in the world -- the larger at 53 meters, the other 35 -- had survived over 1,500 years since being carved out of sandstone. The Taliban considered the monuments idolatrous and destroyed them with dynamite. The ancient city of Bosra, Syria Continually inhabited for 2,500 years, and became the capital of the Romans' Arabian empire. The centerpiece is a magnificent Roman theater dating back to the second century that survived intact until the current conflict. Archaeologists have revealed the site is now severely damaged from mortar shelling. Norias of Hama, Syria These 20-meter wide water wheels were first documented in the 5th century, representing an ingenious early irrigation system. Seventeen of the wooden norias (a machine for lifting water into an aqueduct) survived to present day and became Hama's primary tourist attraction, noted for their groaning sounds as they turned. Heritage expertsdocumented several wheels being burned by fighters in 2014. Citadel of Aleppo, Syria The fortress spans at least four millennia, from the days of Alexander the Great, through Roman, Mongol, and Ottoman rule. The site has barely changed since the 16th century and is one of Syria's most popular World Heritage sites. The citadel has been used as an army base in recent fighting and several of its historic buildings have been destroyed. Deir Ez-zor bridge, Syria This French-built suspension bridge was a popular pedestrian crossing and vantage point for its views of the Euphrates River. It became a key supply line in a battle for the city, and collapsed under shelling. Deir Ez-zor's Siyasiyeh Bridge was also destroyed. Crac des Chevaliers, Syria The Crusader castle from the 11th century survived centuries of battles and natural disasters, becoming a World Heritage site in 2006 along with the adjacent castle of Qal'at Salah El-Din. The walls were severely damaged by regime airstrikes and artillery in 2013, and rebels took positions within it. The Greatest Buildings You'll Never See, 19 Priceless Monuments Lost In Conflict (Part 1). greatest building world, best building in world, tallest building world, beautiful building in the world, best places in europe, best places in the world, travel, travel guide, . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLNl-yDzt6o

• published: 13 Nov 2014
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