Ever since cameras were invented, people have been taking photos of events they thought were important. Well, with modern cameras, people have decided to take photos of the same things up to a century later!
These side-by-side comparison shots really put history into perspective. Here are some of the best historical before and after photos.
The Strand Arcade was one of the best malls for young Australian teens in Sydney to go to. But in 1976, tragedy struck. It was victim to a raging fire. A lot of the shopping center burnt down, but luckily firefighters managed to quell the fire.
Now, almost 40 years later, the mall is thriving again. It’s even been refurbished to have a more modern look. It looks like it’s been restored to its former glory.
Rysstad is a village in Norway, and it was home to the Hylestad municipality from 1915 until 1962, when it disbanded. The photo on the left shows how Rysstad used to look in 1888. We can see a horse-drawn and a man in Victorian attire.
The modern photo taken in 2013 shows a very different scene. Although still the countryside, we can see that the area is more built-up than before. At least the windmill has been left alone.
This photo of Seljestadjuvet, Norway, shows consideration for barriers even in the late 1800s. They placed rock barriers to prevent horse riders from falling into the nearby lake. Not a lot of this area has changed over the years.
But there’s a good reason for that. The government has tried to conserve the area as much as possible. That’s why the modern photo doesn’t look very different from the old photo.
Here’s a photo of the Martin Luther statue in Dresden, Germany. The rubble surrounding the statue is a reminder of the tragedies that happened in World War II. Thankfully, Dresden made a comeback.
The town nowadays looked a lot better. The surrounding area has been built up a lot more than before, but the statue has remained.
This photo was taken in France in front of the Grenoble Rue Montorge. The wealthy gentleman standing in front of the photo is the owner of the tourist store and is standing with his colleagues.
Now today, the man surely isn’t around anymore. And his place of business is now a real estate business. Who knows if the family owns it or if it was sold off a while ago.
The city of Pripyat used to look a lot cheerier in 1986, just a short time before disaster struck. The nuclear power plant in Pripyat melted down, and the city has been uninhabitable ever since.
The only things that live in the city now are wildlife. And the effects of the radiation are being observed, and scientists will discover what long-term effects they have.
This apartment building looked way worse for wear in 1945. It bears the scars of the war that had just passed. It lingered as recent memory in the minds of many citizens, but as time wore on, they rebuilt.
The Corner Of Ratajczaka And Św. Marcin Streets, Poznań was hit particularly hard during the war.
Sw. is short for Skrzyżowanie, which is crossroads in Polish. Looking at the building today, no one would ever be able to tell that it was partially demolished decades ago.
The building these days is fully operational and houses many tenants who need a place to stay. Any traces of the war that raged on is hard to see with how well they rebuilt.
This photo was taken by the Captain in the Army Film & Photographic Unit. In front of the chapel are a tank and a priest. The priest is presumably praying for the safeguard of the men.
This photo took place after the town was liberated with help from the resistance and American soldiers. The army rolled in in August 1944, just months after the resistance started taking key points.
Notre Dame looks mostly the same, with the exception of the military being around. Being taken in 2017, the world is far removed from the war that took place nearly a century before.
Now tourists can visit the building and admire its beauty after being through a lot. The chapel has even been through a fire in recent history but has since been refurbished. Bringing the building back to its former glory.
This photo was taken at the turn of the century when the Moulin Rouge opened its doors. The variety theater became a successful establishment where many citizens spent their nights.
The theater became so popular that tourists from all over the globe would come to see the award-winning performances. This boosted the popularity of France as a tourist destination.
The area around the Moulin Rouge had become somewhat of a normal city. It’s not nearly as popular as it was 100 years ago, but thankfully the building still stands strong even today.
The iconic red windmill still sits above the building even if its surroundings have changed. Plus, the theater itself is a huge tourist attraction. You won’t find an experience like it anywhere else.
In 1910 there was so much rainfall that the river Seine flooded the city. It was so bad that they called the event the Great Flood of Paris. The only way that commuters could get to and from work was by boat.
The flooding lasted a week before it finally died down. The flood caused a reported 1.5 million dollars worth of damages. But at least there were no reports of any lethalities.
Today the streets of Paris look quite a bit different from a century ago. Now it looks more or less like an ordinary street. It’s quite a change from the picture from 1910. The biggest detail is glaringly obvious.
We have no idea where the wooden boats that were used during the flood went. But we’re sure most citizens don’t feel they need them anymore. Let’s just hope there isn’t another flood any time soon.
