“Change is the only constant.” You’ve likely heard different variations of this quote, but it ultimately expresses one of life’s fundamental truths: everything is bound to transform, whether through progression or regression.
Check out these photos and see for yourself. We’ve collected images of various landmarks around the world, showing how humans and Father Time have treated them over the decades.
The best part: you can see the differences in each picture with a simple swipe to the right. Enjoy!
#1 Machu Picchu, 1911-2016
#2 Reichstag, Berlin, 1945 And 2012
#3 Pripyat, Ukraine, 1986 And 2016
As places go through significant changes, so do their inhabitants. Experts refer to this as urban evolution, where genetic transformations occur to help make these environments more adaptable.
An example is the rat population in New York City. Studies have shown that Big Apple rodents have evolved to have shorter rows of teeth, likely due to their diet of softer foods in an urban setting.
#4 Place Du Carrousel, Paris, France, 1900-2016
#5 Arctic Sea-Ice Coverage, 1984-2012
#6 Osnabrück Train Station, Germany, 1965 And 2015
Urban coyotes also went through a similar evolution, according to a January 2025 study published in Genome Biology and Evolution. Research has shown that urban coyotes have become more adaptable to starches due to increased access to pet and human food.
#7 Via Della Conciliazione Is The Main Avenue Leading To St. Peter’s Basilica Of Vatican City, 1910-2013
#8 Moulin Rouge, Paris, France, 1900 And 2016
#9 Eiffel Tower, 1900 And 2017
Each of the major cities on this list has undergone notable changes, as evident in the photo comparisons. Urbanization does drive evolution, and according to recent developments, may spawn new life forms.
In 2024, a new species of mosquitoes was discovered in Mesa County, Colorado. These pests can lay eggs in small amounts of water, which, according to experts, has made them more difficult to control.
#10 Roman Forum, Rome, Italy, 1866-2017
#11 Beverly Hills, California, USA, 1918-2018
#12 St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, 1941-2019
Before the invention of light bulbs and electricity, people relied on flames as their primary light source. The less illumination there was, the darker night skies became, unlike in today’s perpetually illuminated world.
Author and environmental philosopher Christoper Preston blames light pollution for less starry skies and disrupted circadian rhythms.
“There is no doubt (urbanization) is a path causing an unstoppable shift in who we, as well as the species that like to live alongside us, essentially are,” Preston wrote in an article for The MIT Press Reader.
#13 Las Vegas Boulevard And Flamingo Road, 1968 And 2018
#14 Mont Saint-Michel, France, 1908 And 2016
#15 St. Nicholas Church, Berlin, 1939 And 2013
As always, your insights are valued, dear readers. Which of these photos do you find most fascinating? What drew you in? Let’s liven up the comment boxes!
#16 Charles Gate, Munich, Germany, 1910 And 2017
#17 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C. And Capitol, 1900-2013
#18 Stairway To Doi Suthep Temple, Thailand, 1910-2015
#19 Hammerfest, 1889-2004
#20 Mercy Hospital, Cork, Ireland, 1938-2021
#21 Royal Street, New Orleans, USA, 1910-2019
#22 The Eiffel Tower And Its Surroundings, Paris, 1910 And 2016
#23 Dawes Point, Sydney, Australia, 1929-2017
#24 Old Port Of Marseille, France, 1920-2020
#25 Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, 1976 And 2005
#26 Former Japanese Imperial Army 5th Division, Hiroshima 1921-2024
#27 Shanghai, China, 1934-2024
#28 Martin Luther Monument, Dresden, Germany, 1958 And 2014
#29 Palace Square, St. Petersburg, 1840 And 2014
#30 Central Station, Sydney 1957-2017
#31 Morro De Arica, La Perla, Chile, 1868-2017
#32 London Blitz 1940, 1940-2019
#33 Democracy Monument In Bangkok, 1967-2011
#34 Parthenon, Acropolis Of Athens, Greece, 1978 And 2018
#35 Flatiron Building, New York, 1918 And 2018
#36 San Telmo Park In Las Palmas De Gran Canaria, 1965-2021
#37 Rabat, Morocco, 1900-2025
#38 Tower Bridge, London, 1900 And 2019
#39 Palm Islands (Three Artificial Archipelagos, Dubai), 2001-2012
#40 Pompeii Forum, 1900-2023
#41 Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, USA, 1968-2021
#42 Midpoint Of George Washington Bridge, New York, USA, 1985-2018
#43 The Old St. Louis County Courthouse In Downtown St.Louis, Missouri, USA, 1865-2015
#44 Barn Bluff Facing The Mississippi- Red Wing, USA, 1891-2023
#45 Montreal, Canada, 1996-2015
#46 Sultan Abdul Samad Building, Malaysia, 1941 And 2016
#47 Paseo De La Reforma, Mexico, 1986-2018
#48 Montrose Street, Clermont, FL, USA, 1928-2018
#49 North Decatur Road At Clifton Road, Atlanta GA, USA, 1959-2023
#50 Main Street At Franklin, Houston, USA, 1921-2024
