I Guarantee The Before-And-After Photos Of These 25 Historical Landmarks In The 1900s Versus Today Will Blow Your Mind

BuzzFeed
·4-min read

To impart some timeless wisdom: old photos are cool. Old places are cool. So here are some side-by-sides of old and new photos of old-timey places, just because it's fun to compare. Please enjoy:

1.The Empire State Building in 1931, the year of its completion...

The image shows the Empire State Building towering above the surrounding New York City skyline
Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

...versus today:

View of New York City skyline featuring the Empire State Building in the center, surrounded by various other skyscrapers

New York cityscape seen from above with clear blue sky.

Alexander Spatari / Getty Images

2.Flooding in St. Mark's Square, Venice in about 1910...

Flooded St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) in Venice, with buildings reflected in the water. The domes of St. Mark's Basilica and the Campanile tower are visible
Marka / Touring Club Italiano/Marka/Universal Images Group via Getty

...versus the flooding in 2019:

Person wading through floodwaters in front of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, carrying a bag over their shoulder
Person wading through floodwaters in front of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, carrying a bag over their shoulder

3.The Eiffel Tower during the liberation of Paris in 1944...

Three soldiers in a military jeep look at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France from the base. The scene appears historical
Stf / AFP via Getty Images

...and on Bastille Day in 2024:

The Eiffel Tower at night with fireworks illuminating the sky in the background
Olympia De Maismont / AFP via Getty Images

4.Not quite the 20th Century, but: Chichén Itzá in 1892 before excavation...

An ancient pyramid stands atop a steep hill surrounded by dense vegetation. The structure appears weathered and historic
Collection of Negatives and Prints, 1895-1908: Peabody Museum Archives, Harvard University / Via https://en.m.wikipedia.org

...versus Chichén Itzá today:

El Castillo, the pyramid at Chichen Itza, stands under a partly cloudy sky at sunset. The staircase and structure are prominently visible

Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico, North America

John Elk / Getty Images

5.Downtown Shanghai in 1930...

Historical photo of a busy street in Shanghai with vintage cars, trams, bicycles, and pedestrians. The street is lined with banners displaying Chinese text
General Photographic Agency / Getty Images

...versus downtown Shanghai today:

A busy commercial street in an urban area at night with many illuminated signs and people walking on the sidewalk
Nikada / Getty Images

6.The Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco in 1913...

A historical black-and-white photograph of the Casino de Monte-Carlo, featuring people in front of the grand building with intricate architectural details and clock towers
Ullstein Bild Dtl. / ullstein bild via Getty Images

...versus the Casino in 2013:

Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco, with its ornate architecture lit up at night, featuring a large reflective sculpture in front
Sylvain Sonnet / Getty Images

7.Abu Simbel in 1933...

A person in blue attire stands on the knee of a colossal ancient Egyptian statue at Abu Simbel, highlighting the statue's monumental size
A person in blue attire stands on the knee of a colossal ancient Egyptian statue at Abu Simbel, highlighting the statue's monumental size
The image shows the Great Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel, featuring four large seated statues of Ramses II carved into the rock facade
The image shows the Great Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel, featuring four large seated statues of Ramses II carved into the rock facade

Print Collector / Print Collector / Getty Images, Jose A. Bernat Bacete / Getty Images

...versus Abu Simbel today:

A large crowd visits the towering statues at Abu Simbel, Egypt. The ancient rock-cut temples feature four seated statues of Pharaoh Ramesses II

Fun fact: In the 1960s, Ramses II's temples at Abu Simbel were actually cut, moved, and reassembled to avoid being submerged by the Nile following the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

Brandon Rosenblum / Getty Images

8.Tokyo in the 1920s...

Historic cityscape view with a busy bridge, trams, cyclists, and pedestrians; surrounded by many traditional buildings and a few larger structures
Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

...and Tokyo today:

Tokyo skyline with prominent Tokyo Skytree tower, a river winding through the city, and buildings stretching towards mountains in the distance
Pongnathee Kluaythong / Getty Images

9.The Sunset Strip in 1937...

Historic photo of Café Trocadero, a popular nightclub in Los Angeles, with vintage cars parked on the street in front
Bettmann / Getty Images

...and in 2021:

Crowd gathers outside The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles for Sirius XM & Pandora Small Stage Series featuring J. Cole
Crowd gathers outside The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles for Sirius XM & Pandora Small Stage Series featuring J. Cole

10.Mount St. Helens in 1933 and in 1980 during its eruption, and...

A serene lake reflects a snow-capped mountain surrounded by forest
A serene lake reflects a snow-capped mountain surrounded by forest
Eruption of Mount St. Helens with a large ash cloud rising above the mountain, seen from a lake surrounded by dense forest
Eruption of Mount St. Helens with a large ash cloud rising above the mountain, seen from a lake surrounded by dense forest

Historical / Corbis via Getty Images, Steve Terrill / Getty Images

...Mount St. Helens today!

Pathway lined with wildflowers leads toward a mountainous landscape, with Mount St. Helens in the background
Danielle D. Hughson / Getty Images

11.The Flatiron Building on Fifth Avenue and Broadway in 1920 and in 1965...

Historical photo of the Flatiron Building in New York City, with people and vehicles on the street. Buildings at both sides. Tall trees in the foreground
Historical photo of the Flatiron Building in New York City, with people and vehicles on the street. Buildings at both sides. Tall trees in the foreground
Historic photo of a busy New York City intersection with the Flatiron Building in the background and street signs for 5th Avenue and Broadway
Historic photo of a busy New York City intersection with the Flatiron Building in the background and street signs for 5th Avenue and Broadway

Design Pics Editorial / Design Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, Archive Photos / Getty Images

...and the Flatiron Building today:

Cityscape at dusk featuring the iconic triangular Flatiron Building in New York City, surrounded by illuminated streets and skyscrapers
Tony Shi Photography / Getty Images

12.People in front of the Hungarian Parliament Building during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956:

People gathered around and on top of a tank in front of a large building during a historical event, waving a flag and cheering
Hulton Archive / Getty Images

...and the Hungarian Parliament Building today:

Hungarian Parliament Building illuminated at night, reflecting on the Danube River in Budapest
Jungang Yan / Getty Images

13.Hiroshima in 1945, after the Atomic Bombing...

A man in military uniform walks through the ruins and rubble of buildings after a bombing, with a partially destroyed structure in the background
Dukas / Universal Images Group via Getty Images

...versus Hiroshima today:

A daytime view of Hiroshima Peace Memorial, with city buildings in the background and a river with a boat in the foreground

The Atomic Bomb Dome building, seen in both pictures, has been left in its original state since 1945.

Jackyenjoyphotography / Getty Images

14.The Brandenburg Gate hung with Nazi flags in 1936 and behind the Berlin Wall in 1982, and...

A historic photo of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, adorned with Nazi and Olympic flags, with cars and people in front
A historic photo of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, adorned with Nazi and Olympic flags, with cars and people in front
The image depicts the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin with a sign in the foreground reading
The image depicts the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin with a sign in the foreground reading

Getty Images, Sahm Doherty / Getty Images

...the Brandenburg Gate in 2024:

People walking and cycling near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin as sunlight streams through its columns
Nikada / Getty Images

15.Princess Diana posing at the Taj Mahal in 1992...

A person sits on a bench facing the Taj Mahal, a large white marble mausoleum with four minarets, lush gardens, and a reflecting pool in the foreground
Tim Graham / Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

...versus tourists visiting in the rain in 2023:

People holding umbrellas in front of the Taj Mahal on a rainy day
Pawan Sharma / AFP via Getty Images

16.The Titanic setting sail from Southampton in 1912...

Vintage photograph of the RMS Titanic docked at a shipyard with smoke billowing from its funnels, and workers seen on the dock and nearby buildings
Universal History Archive / Universal Images Group via Getty Images

...versus the bow of the ship at the wreck site:

Underwater image of the bow of the Titanic wreck, with visible railings and deteriorated structure
Underwater image of the bow of the Titanic wreck, with visible railings and deteriorated structure
Underwater image of the Titanic's bow section, showing the decayed and rusted remains of the shipwreck beneath the ocean
Underwater image of the Titanic's bow section, showing the decayed and rusted remains of the shipwreck beneath the ocean

Xavier Desmier / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images, Ralph White / Getty Images

17.The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona in 1936...

Sagrada Família basilica in Barcelona, featuring its distinct spires and ornate facade, surrounded by trees and gardens
Ullstein Bild Dtl. / ullstein bild via Getty Images

...versus the Sagrada Familia today:

Sagrada Família, a large unfinished Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, Spain, designed by Antoni Gaudí, with intricate spires and a park in the foreground

Construction began in 1882 and is still going strong!

Alexander Spatari / Getty Images

18.A church in Boscotrecase, Naples buried in lava flow after Mt. Vesuvius erupted...

Ruins of a partially collapsed historic building with debris scattered in the foreground. No people are present
Ullstein Bild Dtl. / ullstein bild via Getty Images

...versus the same church today:

Facade of a large church with an ornate entrance, next to a bell tower featuring a clock and arched openings

19.Anchorage, Alaska after the 1964 earthquake...

Street scene of an earthquake in Anchorage, Alaska, 1964, showing damaged roads, toppled cars, and disrupted buildings with various business signs visible
Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

...versus Anchorage today:

Busy city street with traffic and a mountainous backdrop. Various vehicles, traffic lights, and buildings are visible
Bruce Yuanyue Bi / Getty Images

20.The Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy after the November 1966 flood...

Historic photo of Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence, Italy during a flood, with debris and water damage visible along the riverbank
Afp / AFP via Getty Images

...versus the Ponte Vecchio today:

The image shows the historic Ponte Vecchio bridge spanning the Arno River in Florence, Italy, with its distinctive buildings and arches
Pablo Charlón / Getty Images

21.The fire and aftermath of the Tillamook Burn forest fire in Oregon in 1933...

Thick, heavy smoke plumes rise from a forest fire, with charred trees visible in the foreground
Thick, heavy smoke plumes rise from a forest fire, with charred trees visible in the foreground
A forest area with numerous standing and fallen charred tree trunks, suggesting the aftermath of a forest fire. No people are present
A forest area with numerous standing and fallen charred tree trunks, suggesting the aftermath of a forest fire. No people are present

Mpi / Getty Images

...versus the Tillamook State Forest today:

Aerial view of a densely forested mountain range with rolling peaks in the distance, under a clear sky
Aerial view of a densely forested mountain range with rolling peaks in the distance, under a clear sky
A misty forest scene with tall trees, lush green undergrowth, and a prominent fallen tree with exposed roots in the foreground
A misty forest scene with tall trees, lush green undergrowth, and a prominent fallen tree with exposed roots in the foreground

Sycikimagery / Getty Images, Zeb Andrews / Getty Images

22.The Manhattan skyline in 1950...

A vintage black-and-white photograph of the New York City skyline featuring numerous high-rise buildings and a few boats on the waterfront
Atlantic-kid / Getty Images/iStockphoto

...versus the Manhattan skyline today:

Skyline of lower Manhattan, New York City, featuring the One World Trade Center and surrounding buildings, with water in the foreground
Matteo Colombo / Getty Images

23.Dresden after its bombing in 1945, shot by Richard Peter...

Statue amid ruins and rubble, with a damaged historical building in the background, in the aftermath of a wartime event
Picture Alliance / picture alliance via Getty Images

...and Dresden today:

Historic European plaza at sunrise, featuring an ornate cathedral with a tall clock tower and surrounding classical architecture. Few people are present

You can see the Cathedral in both photos!

Artie Photography (artie Ng) / Getty Images

24.And finally, the Ziggurat of Ur in Iraq in 1929, before it was fully excavated...

A black and white photograph of the ancient Ziggurat of Ur, a massive tiered structure, located in modern-day Iraq, showcasing its steps and terraces
Photo 12 / Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

...versus the Ziggurat in 2020:

The image shows the Ziggurat of Ur, an ancient stepped pyramid structure in Iraq, with several people walking and standing on its various levels
Rasool Ali / Getty Images

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