The world around us is constantly changing, but we might not notice how much it actually transforms when we’re in the midst of all of it. It’s only when we compare photos taken in the past and the present that the contrast between the two becomes obvious.
To draw your attention to how much we have progressed, Bored Panda compiled a list of then-and-now photos that show how dramatically our surroundings have changed. Scroll down to find them below, and don’t forget to upvote those you found the most surprising.
While you’re at it, be sure to check out a conversation with photographers Mark Klett and Garry Pycroft, who dabble in then-and-now photography, called rephotography, and kindly agreed to share more about it.
Read More: 40 Mind-Bending Then-And-Now Pictures Of Places That Prove Time Waits For No One
#1 Pyramid Of The Sun In Teotihuacan, Mexico. 1900 vs. 2023
Image credits: Library of Congress
#2 Caerphilly Castle, Caerphilly, South Wales. 1855 vs. 2024
Image credits: Francis Lockey
#3 Noorabad Bridge, Morena, India. 1829 vs. 2010
Image credits: Edward Francis Finden and Patrick Young Waugh
#4 The Ruins Of Tikál, Guatemala. 1890 vs. 2023
Image credits: Alfred Percival Maudslay
#5 Tokyo Station – 1914 vs. 2023
Image credits: wikimedia
#6 Eilean Donan Castle, Taken Sometime Before 1911 vs. 2020
Image credits: G. W. Wilson & Co.
#7 Mortuary Temple Of Hatshepsut, Luxor, Egypt. 1880 vs. 2022
Image credits: ETH Library Zurich
#8 Sagrada Familia, Barcelona. 1930 vs. 2020
Image credits: Walter Mittelholzer
#9 Moai Statues In Rano Raraku, Easter Island. 1914 vs. 2019
Image credits: Katherine Maria Routledge
#10 Norway, Hellesylt 1885 vs. 2016
Image credits: Knud Knudsen
#11 Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., U.S. 1917 vs 2020
Image credits: Library of Congress
#12 Seoul, South Korea In 1900 vs. 2016
Image credits: wikimedia
#13 Roman Baths And Abbey, England. 1890 vs. 2024
Image credits: Detroit Publishing Company
#14 Seljestadjuvet In Odda, Norway. 1905 vs. 2022
Image credits: American Stereoscopic Company
#15 Machu Picchu In 1912 After Major Clearing Work Had Been Undertaken vs. 2023
Image credits: Hiram Bingham III
#16 Los Angeles In 1880 vs. 2019
Image credits: metrolibraryarchive
#17 Buddahs Of Bamiyan, Afghanistan. 1963 vs. 2008
Image credits: UNESCO/A Lezine
#18 Ponte Vecchio In Florence, Italy. 1965 vs. 2019
Image credits: Biblioteca Europea Di Informazione E Cultura
#19 End Of Great Wall, Shanhai Pass, China. 1930 vs. 2008
Image credits: Frey-Wyssling
#20 Magnesia Ad Maeandrum, Anatolia, Turkey. 1984 vs. 2013
Image credits: reddit.com
#21 Odeon Of Herodes Atticus, Located On The Southwest Slope Of The Acropolis Of Athens, Greece. 1893 vs. 2001
Image credits: William Vaughn
#22 The Peruvudaiyar Kovil Or Brihadeeswarar Temple, India. 1880 vs. 2016
Image credits: wikimedia
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#23 Stonehenge In Wiltshire, England. Then vs. 2019
Image credits: ETH Library Zurich
#24 Togetsukyo Bridge, Kyoto, Japan. 1870 vs. Now
Image credits: GooglySmelmo
#25 The Parthenon, Athens. 1900 vs. 2022
Image credits: Matson photograph collection
#26 Milan Cathedral, Italy. 1938 vs. 2016
Image credits: ETH Library Zurich
#27 Arch Of Constantine, Rome, Italy. 1896 vs. 2022
Image credits: Keystone View Company
#28 Golden Gate Bridge In San Francisco, California. 1934 vs. 2017
Image credits: Charles M. Hiller
#29 Piramide Cestia And Porta San Paolo In Rome, Italy. 1920 vs. 2012
Image credits: ETH Library Zurich
#30 Seoul City Gates, Korea. 1910 vs. 2024
Image credits: Frank G. Carpenter
#31 Eiffel Tower In Paris, France. 1889 vs. 2025
Image credits: Library of Congress
#32 Reichstag In Berlin, Germany. 1900 vs. 2024
Image credits: Library of Congress
#33 Malabar Hill – Panorama Of Bombay, India. 1860 vs. 2021
Image credits: Samuel Bourne
#34 Statue Of Liberty In Liberty Island, New York City. 1927 vs. 2014
Image credits: Department of Agriculture
#35 Copacabana Beach In Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. 1930 vs. 2022
Image credits: Library of Congress
#36 Cairo, Egypt. 1870 vs. 2019
Image credits: Antonio Beato
#37 Pennsylvania Station In New York, United States. 1911 vs. 2007
Image credits: Library of Congress
#38 Times Square In New York, United States. 1980 vs. 2023
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Image credits: Bernard Gotfryd