It’s amazing, and slightly unbelievable, that the cities we’ve become so used to living in didn’t actually look this way decades ago. There’s nothing quite like holding up an old photograph in the same place it was captured years earlier, hoping to spot something similar, but seeing an entirely new world. Interestingly enough, some cities simply built around their historic buildings, while others completely revamped, introducing shiny new skyscrapers and high-rise blocks. Either way, these transformations have been truly extraordinary. To celebrate them, we’ve compiled this list of 25 before-and-after photos of some of the world’s most famous cities, proving just how much they’ve changed over time.
#1 Chicago 1937 vs. 2015
Image source: Chicago Tribune historical photo, Stephen C. Hansen
#2 Kuala Lumpur 1884 vs. 2019
Image source: G.R. Lambert & Co, James Kerwin
#3 Rio De Janeiro 1889 vs. 2011
Image source: Marc Ferrez, Rafael Rabello de Barros
#4 Ho Chi Minh 1930s vs. 2016
Image source: gallica.bnf.fr, trungydang
#5 Singapore 1969 vs. 2015
Image source: Urban Redevelopment Authority website
#6 Tokyo 1945 vs. 2014
Image source: japanairraids.org
#7 Athens 1862 vs. 2015
Image source: The Royal Collection Trust, Cyber Science and Technology
#8 Berlin 1983 vs. 2021
Image source: Thomas Farr, Kasa Fue
#9 New York 1920 vs. 2021
Image source: Mark DeJoy, King of Hearts
#10 Dubai 1966 vs. 2021
Image source: nrlgroup.ae, Francisco Anzola
#11 Buenos Aires 1986 vs. 2018
Image source: Nathan Hughes Hamilton
#12 Seoul 1905 vs. 2016
Image source: Han Young-Woo, Joon-Kyu Park
Measuring at over 2700 feet, you can probably guess that the Burj Khalifa in Dubai tops the list of the world’s tallest buildings. At this point, you might be thinking how a structure so massive is still standing. Well, to keep the skyscraper stable and upright, engineers relied on a type of structural system known as a buttressed core.
#13 Abu Dhabi 1980 vs. 2019
Image source: Chris Down
#14 Jakarta 1880 vs. 2022
Image source: Potret Lawas, Medelam
#15 Melbourne 1870 vs. 2010
Image source: C. Nettleton Photo / Melbourne, Elekhh
#16 Shanghai 1934 vs. 2015
Image source: eBay.com, Visit China
#17 Los Angeles 1910 vs. 2019
Image source: Wikimedia Commons, Alek Leckszas
#18 Kyiv 1920 vs. 2021
Image source: Dziesięciolecie Polski Odrodzonej, KMR
#19 San Francisco 1906 vs. 2021
Image source: Geo. R. Lawrence Co.
#20 Las Vegas 1920 vs. 2010
Image source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Lasvegaslover
#21 Cairo 1904 vs 2015
Image source: Eduard Spelterini, Nina R
#22 Sydney 1935 vs. 2020
Image source: Sam Hood, VirtualWolf
#23 Shenzhen 1964 vs. 2015
Image source: Eric Hilaire and Nick Van Mead
#24 London 1920 vs. 2014
Image source: gelio
#25 Istanbul 1912 vs. 2013
Image source: Underwood & Underwood, Mark Ahsmann
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