--- description: The United Nations has confirmed the destruction of an ancient temple in Syria's Palmyra using satellite imagery on Monday title: Satellite Images Confirm Destruction of Ancient Temple image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte88d915ad5d50e27/698861cda988ca91866b4259/palmyra-ancient-templed-destroyed-satellite-images-isis.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Syria](/tag/syria/) ## Syria Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Satellite Images Confirm Destruction of Ancient Temple in Palmyra by [Mathew Katz](/author/mathew-katz/) ## Mathew Katz Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 31, 2015 10:34 PM CUT  Top: A satellite image of the Temple of Bel seen in Syria's ancient city of Palmyra on Aug. 27, 2015; Bottom: A satellite image showing rubble at the temple's location on Aug. 31, 2015. Top: A satellite image of the Temple of Bel seen in Syria's ancient city of Palmyra on Aug. 27, 2015; Bottom: A satellite image showing rubble at the temple's location on Aug. 31, 2015.UNITAR-UNOSAT/AFP/Getty Images by [Mathew Katz](/author/mathew-katz/) ## Mathew Katz Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 31, 2015 10:34 PM CUT The United Nations used satellite images on Monday to confirm the destruction of an ancient temple in Syria’s Palmyra. Witnesses had previously said that the 2,000-year-old Bel Temple [was severely damaged](http://time.com/4016410/isis-damage-palmyra-temple/ "undefined") in a massive explosion on Sunday. The Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) has released numerous propaganda images showing militants blowing up ancient ruins in the historic city, which is under the group’s control. “We can confirm destruction of the main building of the Temple of Bel as well as a row of columns in its immediate vicinity,” the UN said, according to AFP. The agency also released a photo showing the temple’s destruction. ### See ISIS’s Destruction of the Ancient City Palmyra  This undated photo released on Aug. 25, 2015 on a social media site used by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants shows smoke from the detonation of the 2,000-year-old temple of Baalshamin in the ancient caravan city of Palmyra, Syria. AP  This undated photo released on Aug. 25, 2015 on a social media site used by ISIS militants shows militants laying explosives in the 2,000-year-old temple of Baalshamin in Palmyra, Syria. AP  This undated photo released on Aug. 25, 2015 on a social media site used by ISIS militants, shows the 2,000-year-old temple of Baalshamin in Palmyra, Syria, rigged with explosives. AP  This undated photo released on Aug. 25, 2015 on a social media site used by ISIS militants shows the demolished 2,000-year-old temple of Baalshamin in Palmyra, Syria. AP ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4018108/satellite-images-temple-destruction-palmyra/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4018108/satellite-images-temple-destruction-palmyra/"},"headline":"Satellite Images Confirm Destruction of Ancient Temple in Palmyra","datePublished":"2015-08-31T22:34:53.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:01:50.462Z","description":"ISIS has taken credit for widespread destruction of ruins in the city","url":"https://time.com/4018108/satellite-images-temple-destruction-palmyra/","keywords":["Syria"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte88d915ad5d50e27/698861cda988ca91866b4259/palmyra-ancient-templed-destroyed-satellite-images-isis.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Mathew Katz","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/mathew-katz/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte88d915ad5d50e27/698861cda988ca91866b4259/palmyra-ancient-templed-destroyed-satellite-images-isis.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Palmyra Ancient Temple Destroyed Satellite Images ISIS","caption":"Palmyra Ancient Temple Destroyed Satellite Images ISIS","creditText":"UNITAR-UNOSAT/AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/syria/","name":"Syria"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4018108/satellite-images-temple-destruction-palmyra/","name":"Satellite Images Confirm Destruction of Ancient Temple in Palmyra"}}]}] ```