San Francisco (1955-10) by N R FarbmanLIFE Photo Collection
Incredible monuments and buildings all around the globe have been built to last, but they don't always remain unchanged. Scroll to see how some famous locations have changed over time, and tour them today in a virtual Street View.
Construction de la tour Eiffel - Deuxième étage - Juin 1888 by © Collection tour EiffelEiffel Tower
Even the Eiffel Tower had to begin as a foundation. Construction started in 1887 and this photo was taken over a year later.
Construction de la tour Eiffel - Au-dessus de l'étage intermédiaire - Décembre 1888 by © Collection tour EiffelEiffel Tower
It's known worldwide as a feat of both art and engineering, and is instantly recognizable as a symbol of France. By the end of 1888, le tour Eiffel was almost complete.
La tour Eiffel prise du Champ-de-Mars - Exposition universelle de 1889 by © Parisienne de photographie - Neurdein / Roger-ViolletEiffel Tower
It was completed in the first part of the following year, just in time to act as the centerpiece for the 1889 World's Fair.
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The tower remains one of the most popular tourist attractions on Earth. Click and drag to explore.
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You don't have to travel abroad to enjoy the breathtaking view, though.
[Scott Monument, Edinburgh] (about 1844–1845) by Hill & AdamsonThe J. Paul Getty Museum
This Edinburgh monument is dedicated to acclaimed author Sir Walter Scott. Designed by George Meikle Kemp, ground was broken in 1840.
Edinburgh. The Scott Monument (1843–47) by David Octavius Hill|Robert Adamson|Hill and AdamsonThe Metropolitan Museum of Art
Standing at an impressive 200 feet, it is one of the largest monuments to a writer in the world. It also incorporates dozens of statues of Scott's characters. Construction was completed in 1844 and this photograph was taken sometime in the following few years.
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The street in front of the monument is much busier today, but people can still visit and see the numerous sculptures to Scott and his characters.
Eglise d'Auvers (1855, printed 1855–57) by Édouard BaldusThe Metropolitan Museum of Art
This church in Auvers-sur-Oise, France was photographed by Édouard Baldus in 1855, but you may know it from a different picture...
The Church in Auvers-sur-Oise, View from the Chevet (1890) by Vincent van GoghMusée d’Orsay, Paris
The church is perhaps best known as the subject of this Vincent van Gogh painting, made 35 years later. The painter spent his final months in Auvers, creating vibrant pieces like this one.
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The church is still there today, located blocks away from the artist's tomb.
The Boulevards at Paris (May–June 1843) by William Henry Fox TalbotThe Metropolitan Museum of Art
Inventor of the negative process known as Calotype, British photographer William Henry Fox Talbot took this early photo of Parisian streets in 1843. This print appears courtesy of the MET in New York.
Boulevard des Capucines (1873 - 1874) by Claude MonetThe Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Claude Monet painted this hazy rendition of a nearby location approximately 40 years later. This Impressionist masterpiece now resides at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.
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Use Street View to stroll the boulevards today. Try to find Monet and Talbot's exact vantage points!
Old photograph by Paul Landowski and ManzonPaul Landowski Collection
This statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is known locally as Cristo Redentor. Including its base, Christ the Redeemer stands about 125 feet high. At the apex of Mount Corcovado, the Christian icon was constructed from 1922 to 1931.
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The monument attracts an estimated two million visitors each year. Use Street View to explore the area!
