Then And Now: See How Much Places Have Changed

It’s often said that the past is another country. While that may not be true in all cases, comparing the memories you have of your old neighborhood or hometown with the places they are today can be an astonishing experience. That’s doubly true for comparing places one hundred years ago. Not many of us are lucky enough to live that long.

Check out this before and after picture of a Greek-style colosseum in Turkey, thought to have still been in use in 3 A.D. This is where warriors and slaves would presumably go to test themselves in combat, willingly or not.

Some people thought that this wall would never come down, but as time proves, again and again, nothing lasts forever. The Berlin wall came down between 1989 and 1994, marking the end of a long division between the German people.

The atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima devastated everything and everyone in its blast radius. In the first picture, it’s hard to imagine anything growing here ever again. But As you can see, a beautiful city with plenty of trees was built on top.

Here’s a reminder that once humans disappear, nature moves in. Machu Picchu was thought to have been last occupied before the arrival of the Spanish in the late 1500s before they brought down most of the civilizations on the continent with bloodshed and smallpox.

This photograph, taken in 1900, commemorates the building of a home that would be in the family for the next hundred or so years. After that much time, this family must have had such a strong emotional attachment to this home.

Here’s another one that kept its look despite the passage of time. Can you guess how old this historic public house, or as they say across the pond, this Coventry pub in England, is? The first picture is a painting completed in 1819. The photograph below was taken in 2019.

Here’s a direct contrast between past and present. Here the past is being depicted in black and white—they did have color back then! Just not color cameras. In the background is Washington Crossing The Delaware, as viewed by museum-goers from the present and the past.

Prague was a stunning city—and obviously, it still is, as you can see from this photo of a slanting street with beautiful brick buildings and cobbled streets. The black and white photo was taken way back in 1910. It’s sparsely populated, and there seems to be a single motorcar or carriage on the road.

If you’re lucky enough to be living in a country currently enjoying peacetime and prosperity, it can be wild looking back at some of the more deadly times in history. Here’s a snapshot that was taken in Uelzen, Germany, in 1945 during World War II.

This may well have been how Vincent Van Gogh saw this cafe in Arles, France—or perhaps the cafe capitalized on the painting to draw in customers. Whatever the case may be, the lighting and colors between these pictures share an uncanny resemblance.

By the end of World War II, much of Europe was in ruins and disarray. The picture on the left depicts the church of St. Martin in Cologne, Germany. Huge chunks of the structure had been blown off, including the rooftop, by artillery and bombs.

When you think of England, you probably think of rain, bad food, the queen, and castles. Here’s a medieval wall and entrance from 1865. The picture was taken in York, a city famous for still having city walls. Of course, the city has spilled out since then, but the walls and castles remain.

While you may be used to taking the subway on a daily basis if you live in a city, this type of thing would have been a great novelty back then. This is Baker Street, the world’s oldest underground train station, built in 1863 in England.

This old Brazilian restaurant, built in Petropolis in the 1960s, would have looked practically spaced-aged in its heyday. Now, however, it stands ruined and unused. Everything, including the furniture, bar, and glass windows, has been stripped away.

Looking at this picture is a little bit like playing spot the difference. Other than the people walking around, the Royal Mile in Scotland looks almost exactly the same in 1847 as it did in 2021. There are minor differences, however. For example, a sidewalk has been cut out.

The United States is abundant with naturally beautiful and sweeping landscapes and national parks. Preserving national parks is extremely important and that’s one thing Theodore Roosevelt, America’s 26th president, knew. 

It’s remarkable and sometimes eerie how photographs demonstrate the passing of time. Glancing at these two photos (one taken in 1985 and the other in 2020), you can clearly that this plane’s exterior hasn’t changed a whole lot.

It’s remarkable and sometimes eerie how photographs demonstrate the passing of time. Glancing at these two photos (one taken in 1985 and the other in 2020), you can clearly that this plane’s exterior hasn’t changed a whole lot.

The jarring juxtaposition in these photos taken in 1901 and then 2001 is incredible. This is Los Angeles over decades of change. When you first think of the City of Angels, you probably picture palm trees, beaches, and skyscrapers. But, it wasn’t always that way.

Dubai should be the first city that comes to mind when thinking about the Middle East’s ever-growing cities. When the City of Gold was established in 1833, it didn’t possess the enormity of wealth that it does today.

The growth of Hong Kong from 1964 to 2016 is mindblowing. Now, you can barely see the beautiful blue skies underneath all the smog. And, notice how the buildings impact the space, as well. 

Between 2000 and now, the country of Singapore has undergone tremendous growth and change. Considered one of the most economically successful and stable nations, Singapore prides itself on its hard efforts in manufacturing and industrialization.

Isn’t this chilling? The first image looks as if an entire city was wiped out in an apocalypse, while the other looks like something from a big-budget movie. Well, a lot changed between 1945 and today in Tokyo, Japan, known as one of Asia’s most developed countries.

Life used to be so much simpler everywhere in the world, especially in Brazil’s most populated city, Rio de Janeiro. There was less of everything back in those days, but one structure still remains the most iconic to this day: the Christ the Redeemer statue on top of Mount Corcovado.

Although most of the images shown so far demonstrate how drastically things change over time, these images show that, sometimes, things more or less stay the same. In Thomasville, Georgia, this incredible, giant oak tree remained for more than 300 years.

Peru is a naturally breathtaking country with so much history and uniqueness to its name. Machu Picchu has remained Peru’s most-visited tourist destination. Beginning in 1912, the archaeological excavation of Peru started with Machu Picchu being unearthed. This practice would keep going until the 1940s.

Looking at each of these four photos, we can get a better idea of how Buenos Aires has changed over prolonged time periods. They each show how when a solid foundation is built, it’s easier to improve and better it without completely demolishing it.

In the early 1900s, stage plays were influential in expanding culture. This particular performance took place at an outdoor theatre in Bucharest, Romania in 1916. Sadly, that specific amphitheater didn’t make it in 2016. 

It’s pretty amazing how certain landmarks are still recognizable over long periods of time. One of these landmarks is New York’s famous 6,000-foot-long Manhattan Bridge, separated by two different eras. The first image – taken in 1908 – shows the bridge during its construction and the second shows how it looks standing today. 

When picturing Italy, we think about all the grand cathedrals, stunning architecture, and colorful waterways. Milan, Italy, in particular, contains some of the most influential structures.

“I’m melting,” no it’s not the Wicked Witch of the West but rather the Arctic ice at sea. It is reported that summer Arctic sea ice has been shrinking at a rate of 13% per decade and these photos certainly show it.

Dating back to the 14th century is the historic street called the Shambles. The Shambles in York, England has preserved medieval buildings so old that can transport anyone back to a different time.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Here is the perfect example, biking in Berlin Kreuzberg in 1985 there is a giant wall and yet Berlin locals are still biking in front of Engelbecken-Hof with or without the wall.

Talk about a literal “glow up” of Moscow’s Radisson Collection Hotel. The Russian Hotel is one of many of the Radisson Hotels worldwide. Radisson is an international hotel chain with its headquarters in the United States.

The Famous Flatiron Building (Originally, the Fuller Building) is a triangular 22-story, 285-foot-tall (86.9 m) steel-framed landmarked building in New York City. It is located in the Flatiron District neighborhood of Manhattan and has become an attraction for locals and tourists alike.

Singapore has before our eyes become the place to be, a place of luxury and innovation from the moment you land at the airport. As an island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia it is surrounded by water and the views do not disappoint.