Shuri Castle
by Karen Varnas
Title
Shuri Castle
Artist
Karen Varnas
Medium
Photograph
Description
Shuri Castle, originally built in the 14th century, was the cultural and political center of the Ryukyu Kingdom from 1429 until Okinawa was annexed by Japan in 1879. Shuri Castle was destroyed multiple times throughout the century in battle, including during World War II. In 2000, Shuri Castle was registered with UNESCO as a World Heritage site.
On October 31, 2019, a fire destroyed most of the main castle structures. The blaze, which is suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault, torched seven wooden buildings occupying over 4,000 sq. meters of a hill overlooking the prefectural capital Naha. This photograph was taken on October 8, 2019 - 23 days before the fire.
"Shuri Castle" Copyright Karen Varnas. All Rights Reserved.
Uploaded
February 11th, 2020
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