While many European and Asian cities were reduced to rubble during World War II, Heidelberg, Germany, is one of the most famous examples of a city that remained remarkably intact. Unlike its neighbors like Mannheim or Frankfurt, Heidelberg was largely spared from the Allied strategic bombing campaigns. This was partly due to its lack of significant heavy industry and its status as a historical and cultural center. Some historians also suggest that the U.S. military had designated Heidelberg as a future headquarters for the American occupation forces, thus desiring to keep its infrastructure and the historic Heidelberg University preserved. Other cities that escaped major destruction include Oxford and Cambridge in the UK (due to a mutual "gentleman's agreement" between the UK and Germany to spare university towns), and Kyoto, Japan, which was removed from the target list for the atomic bomb by U.S. Secretary of War Henry Stimson due to its immense cultural and religious significance. Consequently, these cities remain "living museums," where 2026 visitors can see authentic pre-war architecture that was lost in most other major urban centers.