Then And Now: See How Much Places Have Changed

But fortunately, we have photographs. Check out these 15 side-by-side pictures and look in wonder at how times change—or in some cases, stay the same. They’re a good reminder about how much progress can be made in only a few decades—and how fragile our world of construction, fashion, and technology really is.

Before archeologists uncovered this site, it looked like any old hill and field. Amazing! They didn’t just uncover steps, but murals and stone carvings, too. It’s amazing how nature just takes back control over all of humanity’s work once our presence is no longer felt.

Here’s the Brandenburg gate on display for anyone on either side of the wall to see. Berlin looks better with its people united. Before the wall came down, it was illegal to cross over to the other side, even to see family and friends.

It took 75 years, but this is what reconstruction can do. After the whole planet had been plunged into a deadly conflict, American forces dropped the bomb on Hiroshima at the end of World War II. effectively putting an end to the war.

It’s thought that most of the people here died of smallpox before the conquistadors actually arrived. It took archeologists three years to clear this structure of its natural cover. Just imagine what else nature is hiding out there in the world!

The second picture was taken in 2000. Imagine sleeping in a bedroom owned by your father and your father’s father. That’s the room behind the window above the front door. It looks like they kept the place looking very neat and tidy.

Except for the addition of a traffic sign and electrical lighting, this spot looks almost the same as it was two hundred years ago. The building to the back has changed, but otherwise, a patron who had suddenly found themselves thrown forward (or backward) in time wouldn’t notice until at least the morning after.

The style of dress is so different. We wonder what the older visitors would have thought about their future counterparts dressed as they are—the woman in the middle wearing pants, for example.

Now the streets are packed, as too are the sidewalks, lined with parked cars. A tree has grown in place of the old streetlight and clock, and a few notices have gone, but otherwise, it seems that nothing much has changed.

It’s amazing the way this person superimposed a window into the Battle of Rhine onto the present. Everything matches up perfectly, apart from the soldier with his rifle, the explosion, and the burning fire in the background. Well, quite a few things have changed.

Perhaps it’s just a coincidence between these pictures, but every modern picture seems to be more occupied by people, and this one is no different. Back then, in 1888, the world was populated by fewer than a billion people—now we’ve gone beyond seven, approaching eight!

But the picture on the right depicts the building fully restored in 2021. The slim buildings at its fore were also replaced in the same style. It took a lot of work, care, and craft, but the scene has been returned to its former beauty.

Only 250 years ago, life in a city was quite different from what it is today. Cities were strongholds, places where people would seek protection from rival gangs known as “great houses.” Sometimes the biggest gangs, led by kings, would offer peasants protection in exchange for their total obedience. Hence, all those castles and walls.

It is underground and quite dark, but as you can see, the architects provided windows for the public so that they wouldn’t feel quite so underground. Nowadays, we’re used to the feeling, even inside high-up office buildings!

It’s a great shame that it fell apart like this. We can imagine it has an amazing view from up high. It has such an interesting shape and design. We would have loved to have dined at this spot. We can imagine that it would have made for a very interesting place to meet friends or date.

Still, the cobbled road remains. The black and white certainly makes it look antiquated. It would be interesting to match a colorized photo with a modern black-and-white picture and test people if they could tell the difference. How many differences between these shots can you find?

In over 220 national reserves, Roosevelt built a legacy of making sure all natural resources and public land were safe. We can see the proof in this then-and-now photo that his efforts paid off. This national park is still just as stunning as it was in 1903.

Yes, this smuggling plane belonged to none other than the infamous Pablo Escobar. The 2020 photo sees his business transport plane – the Curtiss C-46 Commando – resting in the waters of the Bahamas. The salt in the water sped up the metal plane’s corrosion process.  

Yes, this smuggling plane belonged to none other than the infamous Pablo Escobar. The 2020 photo sees his business transport plane – the Curtiss C-46 Commando – resting in the waters of the Bahamas. The salt in the water sped up the metal plane’s corrosion process.  

In 1901, there wasn’t much to look at aside from rolling hills and a few small homes here and there. So, when you see that LA has since become a booming metropolis, it’s quite shocking.

The Toyota building was the only skyscraper in 1985, so compared to all the skyscrapers in 2016, it seems tiny! Clearly, the role that urbanization played was largely significant in expanding the population and density of the modern city. Its Palm Jumeirah Island can be seen from space – that’s how gigantic the man-made island is.

Known for its bustling nightlife, Kowloon Peninsula shines bright with neon signs and pops of color. However, the city is known as the “dark side” because of its dense population which pushes the buildings towards the sides of the mountains. There are still plenty of unique finds in Hong Kong.

Before Singapore separated from the British in 1963, the country was controlled by them for 100 years. As noticed in the photos, the nation carefully planned out its urban development, still allowing space for greenery and nature.

Japan’s Shibuya Crossing has five crosswalks and is considered the most bustling intersection. Also, the largely developed Japan became the very first place outside of America to have its own Disneyland park. 

The amazing statue stands at a whopping 98 feet, serving as South America’s most easily identifiable symbol. Heitor da Silva Costa was the brilliant engineer behind the design and construction of the statue, which started in 1926.

In varying directions, the branches kept reaching out and expanding. Because the tree is a Live Oak, the pressure and weight of many of its branches caused sagging and, at some point, breaking. It continues to live on.

Called a “lost” Incan city, Machu Picchu retains about 75% of its original construction and is a “no-fly above” zone, considering it’s perched 7,000 feet above sea level. Those who have visited the site have been able to understand the region and its history more clearly.

From 1925 to 2021, we see the grand Argentinian city of Buenos Aires from one building’s perspective. Remarkably, there weren’t many drastic changes made to the structure’s foundation but used that as the base for its modifications.

We can only imagine how fun and exciting seeing a play in those days must have been. The building has still retained its exquisite detailing, even though vines have taken over. It has a special quality to it, regardless of the 100-plus years of decay.

The 1908 image illustrates how young and quiet the city felt. This is compared to 2021 with the buildings and cars surrounding the completed bridge. It took 14 years, $15 million, and 600 workers to finish this iconic landmark.

Even though these photographs were snapped 70 years apart, the structures haven’t moved and still stand tall. The only notable difference is that the roads from the 1950s were taken out and replaced with a huge walking square.