In pictures: Fire engulfs Japan's Shuri Castle a World Heritage site

A fire has destroyed much of Shuri Castle, a World Heritage site on Japan’s southern island of Okinawa, with its main hall reduced to a skeleton. This picture was taken on September 1, 1993.

This aerial picture taken on June 27, 2014 shows the historic Shuri Castle in Naha. The structures were reconstructed in 1992, and the castle ruins were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.

In total, about 4,200 square meters of the facility have been destroyed, including the main, north and south buildings. All three were wooden structures.

The main building of Shuri The Castle a symbol of Okinawa Prefecture and popular tourist attraction in the city of Naha, was destroyed in the fire.

Fire fighters try to extinguish the fire at Shuri Castle. The castle long served as the heart of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which ruled the island prefecture from 1429 to 1879, but was destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa in the closing days of World War II.

This aerial picture shows Shuri Castle after the fire ripped through the historic site this morning. The castle uses both Japanese and Chinese architectural styles, underlining the unique characteristics of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which long served as a transportation hub connecting China and Japan.