‘Then & Now’ Photos Showing Nothing Lasts Forever
Remember when things felt permanent? That little diner on the corner, your favorite high school hangout, even your beloved VHS collection, everything seemed like it would last forever. Then reality hit, and those icons of the past are replaced, renovated, or vanished from streets, mountains, and landmarks.
From blockbuster theaters turned coffee shops to playgrounds now parking lots, and from mountain passes to monuments, these “then and now” photos show change sneaking up, often leaving you saying, “Wait, that used to be awesome?”
Scroll through decades of transformations, laugh at the ways time rearranges our world, and embrace the fleeting, hilarious nature of everything.
Szyperska Street, Poznań
Vacant land transformed into a small urban park with grass, young trees, and a modern office building nearby.
Pont Alexandre III, Paris
The bridge preserves its Neobaroque design while modern boats and safety infrastructure appear along the riverbanks.
Nowomiejska Street, Łódź
Original buildings remain while trams, cars, and commercial signage occupy the previously simple cobblestone street.
Osnabrück Station
Parking lots for cars were replaced by densely packed bicycle racks, emphasizing sustainable city transport priorities.
Św. Marcin Street, Poznań
War rubble cleared, the street became a wide boulevard with trees, pedestrian paths, and modern, reconstructed buildings.
Eiffel Tower View, Paris
Old Trocadéro Palace was replaced by Palais de Chaillot, altering the skyline seen through the Eiffel Tower arches.
Frauenkirche, Dresden
Destroyed during the war, the church was rebuilt using lighter stone while keeping fragments of original masonry visible.
Osnabrück, Germany
Fields surrounding the town gave way to urban development, adding streets, housing blocks, and sports facilities.
Hammerfest, Norway
Once a tiny port, the town grew densely, with colorful houses spreading across previously empty coastal hills.
Reichstag, Berlin
Bombed and ruined in 1945, the building now features a fully restored exterior and a modern glass dome.
Mont Saint-Michel, France
The old dirt path is gone, replaced by a raised bridge allowing easy pedestrian access to the mount’s base.
Moulin Rouge, Paris
The iconic red windmill remains, while modern signage and bright lights mark the entrance for today’s visitors.
Chaney Glacier, USA
Vast ice cover melted, leaving rocks and sediment exposed where the glacier previously stretched across the mountainside.
Pripyat, Ukraine
Empty streets and abandoned buildings are overtaken by trees and thick vegetation, hiding the city’s original layout.
Ratajczaka Corner, Poznań
The wartime-damaged building was restored to its original form, with fresh green paint and rebuilt architectural details.
Quai des Nations, Paris
Exhibition halls were removed, leaving a green riverside area with trees, paths, and unobstructed views of the Seine.
Hofbräuhaus, Munich
Carriage streets turned into a lively pedestrian plaza with outdoor tables and crowds enjoying the historic building.
Martin Luther Statue, Dresden
Amid war rubble, the statue stood alone; today, the Frauenkirche rises completely rebuilt behind it.
Seljestadjuvet, Norway
Mountain horses were replaced by cars on a widened paved road surrounded by greener slopes and rocky cliffs.
Rysstad, Norway
A dusty village path became a paved two-lane road with traditional houses and more vegetation along the roadside.
