# What would be worse than blowing up the Taj Mahal? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 19, 2006, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342 "2006-08-19T14:27:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2006, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/21 "2006-08-19T19:15:26Z")
Angkor Wat. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2006, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/22 "2006-08-19T19:18:09Z")
[QUOTE=appleciders] I agree it’s pretty hard to come up with buildings that come close to the beauty and scope of the Taj Mahal, but both St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican might come close. [/QUOTE] And contents therein. Hell, let’s just say all of Italy…St Mark’s Venice, all of Florence, Pantheon… ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/23 "2006-08-19T19:30:52Z")
This is more of a question, but what about: Stonehenge Machu Picchu Mt. Rushmore Rock of Gibraltar Panama Canal Suez Canal And if somehow the natural beauty of these places could be eradicated: Niagara Falls Grand Canyon Mammoth Cave Mt. Fuji ---
**Author:** ![Foldup\_Rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Foldup\_Rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foldup_Rabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/24 "2006-08-20T00:06:23Z")
Since the Taj Mahal is old, undeniably beautiful and a testament to undying love, its loss would crush me more than most of the other things listed. Of course, blowing up anything filled with people would be pretty awful. But if all above buildings and/or monuments had no people in them and were blown up, I think I would be most upset about the Taj Mahal. Any museum or gallery that holds a lot of really precious art would also be pretty terrible. The Lourve, the Sistine Chapel, et cetera. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/25 "2006-08-20T00:17:33Z")
Since this is basically a poll, I’ll move it to **IMHO** for you. **Cajun Man** for the SDMB ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/26 "2006-08-20T02:23:58Z")
The best protection is obscurity, so I’ll keep my choice of the list. ---
**Author:** ![DrunkOnion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ab097/32.png) [@DrunkOnion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrunkOnion)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/27 "2006-08-20T02:27:39Z")
[QUOTE=Mahaloth] The whole thing? [/QUOTE] I’m pretty sure bits of it have been blown up already. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/28 "2006-08-20T02:35:12Z")
Blowing up the [Kaaba](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaaba). (Well, it wouldn’t really tear _me_ up, emotionally, but all the people who’d die in World Wars III through V would probably mind.) Personally, though, I’d hate to lose any of the Smithsonian museums. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/29 "2006-08-20T03:51:23Z")
I guess I’m the first person white-trash enough to nominate Graceland. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/30 "2006-08-20T03:57:52Z")
What would be worse than blowing up the Taj Mahal? Being trap in a room of mimes. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/31 "2006-08-20T06:44:14Z")
I’d say the second-worst thing to the Taj Mahal would be blowing up the Forbidden City and Emperor’s Palace in China. (It’s slightly more feasible than blowing up the Great Wall.) On the one hand, you have a billion-plus Indians pissed at you. On the other, you have a billion-plus Chinese pissed at you. I dunno, it sounds like a dead heat to me. The ensuing retribution would be pretty awful. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/32 "2006-08-20T07:39:28Z")
I know. Let’s start a thread and call it “Creative Solutions Seminar: Ideas for Terrorists (from Entry-Level to Pro)”. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/33 "2006-08-20T09:25:26Z")
St Pauls Cathedral Westminster Abbey Stonehenge, what’s left of it anyway St Basils Cathedral ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/34 "2006-08-20T09:46:40Z")
In Las Vegas, imploding structures is an event with thousands of spectators…will be seeing Stardust and a few other casinos bite the dust soon…and yes, the Taj Mahal would be horrible, but the Eiffel Tower? Meh…been there, done that, who cares, the thing is woefully falling apart - you are risking your life going up in those elevators held together by duct tape and a prayer. Am amazed it hasn’t fallen apart from neglect. More serious is the Hoover Dam…lots of security currently, but blowing up that structure would have ramifications beyond belief. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/35 "2006-08-20T10:01:41Z")
[QUOTE=Fish] On the other, you have a billion-plus Chinese pissed at you. [/QUOTE] “Last I heard, there were 1._3_ billion pissed off Chinese…” ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/36 "2006-08-20T10:55:20Z")
Florence Cathedral - The entire province would not be the same without it. Natural History Museum - London Johnson Wax Building Palace of Versailles The Registan - Samarkan in Uzbeckhistan - This would be a huge loss for us all its almost a city of ancient monuments, some of which were observed by Alexander the Great, it rivals Angkor Wat. The Alhambra - In southern Spain Ironbridge at Telford - the worlds first iron bridge and very much the start of the industrial revolution and the modern age. The monastry of Monte Cassino ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/37 "2006-08-20T11:45:54Z")
[QUOTE=Rysdad] Those whatchamacallit towers in Kuala Lumpur [/QUOTE] I expect you mean the [Petronas Twin Towers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petronas_Twin_Towers). I visited the Towers in February and had a private escorted trip up to the 86th floor (as high as it’s possible to go). The view was absolutely amazing. I spoke with the guy who is in charge of all safery and security issues for the Towers, an amazing man who is referred to simply as ‘The Major’ (because he _was_ a Major before he took this job). Not to tempt fate or anything, but he explained all the very good reasons why he is sure that the Towers will never be the subject of any attack akin to the WTC, and why such an attack - even if attempted - would be very unlikely to succeed, and why even if it did succeed the consequences would not be the same (far lower potential for loss of life, no grand collapse of the entire structure). Mild but hopefully forgivable hijack - if you’re looking for a great vacation destination, I can highly recommend Kuala Lumpur. For anyone from the West it’s very cheap, the people are great, lots to see and do in the cty itself and then you are wthin easy reach of everything else you could want - beaches, jungle, caves, wildlife, sports etc. Back to the OP, there have been lots of great suggestions already. I’d just like to add Il Duomo, or Milan Cathedral. I consider it to be the most impressive and amazing building I’ve ever seen in real life, and it stands for so much in terms of history, culture and local identity. It is utterly unique and could never, ever be rebuilt or replaced. A slightly more unusual suggestion would be Baden Baden in Germany. It’s a totally beautiful place to visit, with an unspoilt ‘oil painting’ prettiness that is hard to take in. It was never even touched during either of the World Wars, and in the 2nd WW the French intentionally left it aone because they wanted it as their own base once they had conquered Germany (ahem). Having survived so unscathed for so long, it would be terrible if it were to be attacked and spoiled. Another vote for any major art gallery where many priceless works are kept. Bear this in mind if you visit any of the major galleries and collections here in London - the so-called ‘security’ is very lax and anyone could get anything in. They tighten it up for a few days after any big newsworthy threat, but then it’s soon back to normal. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/38 "2006-08-20T14:19:01Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] Even if you don’t personally cherish the Taj Mahal, surely there’s something manmade or natural on the face of the earth that you would hate to see obliterated. [/QUOTE] Yeah - _ **me** _. I’d hate to see _me_ get obliterated. Oh, and Wrigley Field. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/39 "2006-08-20T14:32:00Z")
[QUOTE=Scruloose] Yeah - _ **me** _. I’d hate to see _me_ get obliterated. [/QUOTE] That would probably be very hard to watch. Especially the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-than-blowing-up-the-taj-mahal/369342/40 "2006-08-20T14:43:05Z")
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