Historical Bam Citadel Destroyed

The historical Bam Citadel, the largest adobe structure in the world, was completely destroyed due to an earthquake that struck the city early this morning. At 5:28:59 AM today (December 26), a 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook the cities of Bam and Jiroft in southern Kerman province, and reports indicate that between 80 to 100 percent of the Bam Citadel was obliterated. I believe that anyone who has seen the magnificent and grand adobe citadel of Bam in their lifetime considers today one of the hardest days of their life. I can confidently say that today was one of the worst days of my life. The Bam Citadel and the surrounding adobe city were among the most important and historic military fortresses in the world. This citadel was a complete example of Iranian architectural styles, shining like a jeweled crown atop a 61-meter-high hill over the historical buildings of Iran. Historical records, including 'Hudud al-'Alam' and 'Tarikh Vaziri', suggest that the history of the Bam Citadel dates back two thousand years. According to Iranian cultural heritage experts, there is substantial evidence, including the condition of the central plan and several bricks found in the governor's house and the commander of the garrison's house, to support this claim. They believe that based on Islamic period writings and preliminary architectural and archaeological studies, it can be concluded that the citadel was established before the Sasanian era and likely during the Parthian period, with several walls and gates surrounding it. It is also likely that the inhabitants of the Bam Citadel sustained themselves through agriculture and weaving. The last historical event remembered by the people regarding the Bam Citadel is the arrest of Lotf Ali Khan Zand by Mohammad Ali Khan Zabuli, the ruler of that time. This citadel was inhabited until the year 1254 AH and was used as a gendarmerie and military headquarters until eighty years ago. In other words, life in the citadel continued from its establishment until the mid-Qajar period. It is said that throughout history, the Bam Citadel has been attacked, destroyed, and rebuilt several times. But will this historical citadel, this pride of Iranian architecture and this symbol of the hard work and resilience of Iranians throughout the ages, be able to rise again?