Believe it or not, but the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world counts its existence for 11,000 years as of today. The town, Damascus, is the Syrian capital city, and astonishingly enough, not much has changed behind this ancient city’s walls. However, not many towns keep the same faces for such a long time, often changing and evolving. Sometimes the city development makes it even more beautiful, but as it is in a more often case, the alluring greenery and historical houses have to make way for skyscrapers in the ever-changing city skyline.
The world has increased over the last 100 years that it’s difficult to imagine just how much things have changed during that time. Many of the world’s most famous cities and country capitals – like Kuala Lumpur for example, or Hong Kong – bare little resemblance to their earlier selves, and cities such as Dubai didn’t even exist at all until relatively recently.
Take a look at these before and after pictures of beautiful cities to see what we mean. Compiled by Bored Panda, they’re sure to give you a fresh perspective on how you look at the world’s biggest cities and settlements.
#1 Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 2000 And Now
Image source: panoramio.com, AirPano
#2 Seoul, South Korea – 1900 And Now
#3 Vilnius, Lithuania – 1900 And Now
Image source: gidas.mb.vu.lt
#4 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – 1970 And Now
Image source: theculturist.com, Predrag Vuckovic
#5 Singapore, Republic Of Singapore – 2000 And Now
Image source: Ong Wee Jin
#6 Tokyo, Japan – 1945 And Now
Image source: japanairraids.org
#7 Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 2005 And Now
Image source: lovindubai.com
#8 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil – 1930 And Now
Image source: Rafael Rabello de Barros
#9 Sydney, Australia – 1932 And Now
Image source: The National Library of Australia
#10 Shenzen, China – 1964 And Now
Image source: David McLeod
#11 Fortaleza, Brazil – 1975 And Now
Image source: unknown
#12 Bangkok, Thailand – 1988 And Now
Image source: unknown
#13 Athens, Greece – 1862 And Now
Image source: Francis Bedford, xstaz
#14 Toronto, Canada – 1930 And Now
Image source: Special Collections Toronto Public Library
#15 Berlin, Germany – 1945 And 1990s
Image source: rarehistoricalphotos.com, gettyimages.com
#16 Jakarta, Indonesia 1960 And Now
Image source: storkli.com
#17 Melbourne, Australia – 1920 And Now
Image source: unknown
#18 London, The Great Britain – 1920 And Now
Image source: Slava Stepanov
#19 Istanbul, Turkey – 1905 And Now
Image source: Public Domain
#20 New York, Usa – 1962 And Now
Image source: wirednewyork.com
#21 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – 1920 And Now
Image source: unknown
#22 Chicago, Usa 1937 And Now
Image source: chicagotribune.com, yochicago.com
#23 Shanghai, China – 1987 And Now
Image source: Carlos Barria
#24 Los Angeles, Usa – 1940 And Now
#25 San Francisco, USA – 1906 And Now
Image source: Geo. R. Lawrence Co.
#26 San Francisco, Usa – 1947 And Now
Image source: Redwood Empire Assn
#27 Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2005 And Now
#28 Long Beach, Usa – 1953 And Now
Image source: Jeff Gritchen
#29 Macau, China – 1964 And Now
#30 Hong Kong, China – 1980 And Now
#31 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – 1920 And Present
Image source: unknown, Aleksandr Cherednichenko
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