The term reconstruction is one that refers to the action of rebuilding something that already existed but disappeared or was destroyed. The idea of reconstruction can be used in specific areas (such as to refer to the reconstruction of a building), as well as in abstract situations, as a metaphor (for example when we speak of the reconstruction of the facts of a crime). The term is built from the use of the word construction and the prefix "re" which always means to do again, in this case, to rebuild.
Rebuilding always has a specific objective and it is to renovate something that had been destroyed or left in poor condition due to specific reasons. It is a term widely used to refer to situations in which something (a building, an object) has been destroyed and must be rebuilt, for example when talking about the reconstruction of a city after the passage of a hurricane, earthquake , tsunami or even the passage of a war that has meant a very significant level of destruction. It can also refer to more specific or small cases, such as the reconstruction of a house or a part of it due to wear, humidity or different problems. When the term is used in this sense, it is important to take into account that it is part of something that already existed previously, since otherwise one would speak of construction instead of reconstruction.
In many cases, the reconstruction can mean altering some previous characteristics, but maintaining the original structure or idea. Thus, if we talk about the reconstruction of a house, it may not be rebuilt exactly as it was before, but some characteristics are altered for its better functioning. In the case of rebuilding cities destroyed by tragic events, certain alterations can also be made to avoid further complications.
When we speak of the term reconstruction in an abstract sense (such as "the reconstruction of the events"), we are mentioning the action of putting events back in order as they happened to try to better understand them and know how they happened, why and with what consequences.
