It’s hard to imagine London, Paris, or even Seoul without high-rise buildings and dazzling lights. But believe it or not, centuries ago, these capital cities from around the world looked nothing like they do today. Before modernization took hold, the towering skyscrapers, tarred roads, and flashy cars we’re used to seeing were once medieval buildings, horse-drawn carriages, and cobblestone streets. Thanks to photography and the amazing artists behind it, catching a glimpse into the past has never been easier. Get ready to take a step back in time with this list of 49 rare early photos of the world’s capital cities.
#1 Kyiv, Ukraine, 1852
With the construction of the Nicholas Bridge, the railway, and full access to the Dnieper River, Kyiv emerged as a key trade and transportation hub in the 19th century. This photo, captured by Roger Fenton in 1852, features St. Andrew’s Church sitting atop the Andriivs'kyi Descent, a significant landmark in the city. Today, the building is a museum dedicated to Kyiv’s cultural heritage.
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20points
#2 Vilnius, Lithuania, 1860s
Vilnius, Lithuania, was both ethnically and religiously diverse when under the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Taken just a few years before political repression began in the country, this historic image of Gediminas Castle Hill, one of the city’s oldest landmarks, was captured by photographer Abdon Korzon in the 1860s. Originally a studio artist, this was not only his first outdoor photo, but also the very first image taken outside of a studio in the whole country.
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20points
#3 Seoul, South Korea, 1890-1923
Seoul was transforming from a traditional Joseon capital into a more modern city during these three decades. Despite the growing Japanese and Western influence at the time, the capital maintained Korean tradition, with trips to streams such as Cheonggyecheon to do laundry and gather water forming part of daily life. This image, taken somewhere between the late 19th and early 20th century, captured the spirit of the city during that era.
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20points
#4 Berlin, Germany, 1856
Berlin experienced rapid transformation and expansion in the 19th century. This image of the city, captured in 1856, features the Zeughaus armoury, the oldest structure on Unter den Linden Boulevard. Photographer Leopold Ahrendts took this historic photo of the building that would later become a Prussian military museum and then, finally, the German Historical Museum we know today.
19points
#5 Tokyo, Japan, 1870s
During the early Meiji era, Tokyo began to modernize, and Western influence was emerging in most areas of the city. Despite rapid development at the time, this historic photo taken from Mount Atago by Austrian photographer Raimund von Stillfried captured the capital’s Edo past, characterized by wooden houses and narrow roads.
19points
#6 Rome, Italy, 1842
The 19th century was a period of transformation for Rome, and there to capture the city during this time was photographer, scholar, and artist Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey. While traveling through Italy in 1842, he took this picture of Rome’s Pons Aemilius, also known as the Broken Bridge, which is recognized as the oldest surviving photo of Rome. Today, the bridge only has one arch.
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18points
#7 Paris, France, 1838
The 19th century was a period of rapid cultural and industrial change for Paris. During that time, photography pioneer Louis Daguerre captured this image of the Boulevard du Temple in central Paris in 1838. Before this photo featuring two men was taken, long exposure times prevented moving objects from being recorded, making this the first ever image to include human beings.
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16points
#8 Cairo, Egypt, 1839
The 19th century was a period of change for Cairo under Muhammad Ali Pasha’s rule. Despite being a copy of the original daguerreotype of the Great Pyramid of Khufu that has since been lost, this engraved version still gives us a clear picture of what Giza looked like in the 19th century. Taken in 1839 by Horace Vernet and Frédéric Goupil-Fesquet, the image is the first known photograph of one of the world’s most famous landmarks.
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16points
#9 Canberra, Australia, 1913
Unlike the other cities on this list that have been capitals since before the 20th century, Canberra only became the metropolis of Australia in 1913, when its foundation was laid and it was officially named. This image, captured that same year, shows the vast rural landscape before construction began and also includes several markings indicating where surveyors planned on building each landmark in the city.
15points
#10 Wellington, New Zealand, 1880
This 19th-century image of a run-down flour mill at the Ngāūranga Gorge documents the effects of colonialism on the native forest in the lower North Island of New Zealand. It probably isn’t surprising that the ravaged forests captured in the background of this photo were a result of the bridge, buildings, and fences erected at the settlement during that time.
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15points
#11 Vienna, Austria, 1850s
The 19th century was a period of expansion and transformation for Vienna, a city under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with modern infrastructure and intellectual life becoming more prevalent. This photograph captured the capital’s major square, the Michaelerplatz, which was surrounded by Baroque architecture. Interestingly, much of its infrastructure remains unchanged today.
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14points
#12 Lisbon, Portugal, 1890-1905
In the late 19th and early 20th century, Lisbon was modernizing but still preserving its maritime and imperial heritage. Photographed here is the capital’s Belém Tower, which was used as a military outpost and prison in the early 1800s. After briefly serving as a customs post and then falling into disrepair later that century, the tower underwent restoration during the city’s Romantic Revival, transforming it into a historic landmark.
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14points
#13 Singapore, 1900s
In the early 20th century, Singapore underwent substantial commercial growth. Photographed here is Commercial Square, later known as Raffles Place, which was the capital’s centerpiece for trade and commerce. Considered the city’s financial district, the square was filled with department stores, banks, and trading houses. Although the area has changed a lot over the 180 years of its existence, it remains Singapore’s business hub.
14points
#14 Hanoi, Vietnam, 1890
Pictured here is the entrance to the Quan Thanh temple next to West Lake in Hanoi. This historical photograph was captured in 1896, around the time the capital city became a French colonial center. Despite the redesign of much of Hanoi’s streets and buildings during this era, the temple was well-preserved and remarkably still looks pretty much the same today, over a century later.
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14points
#15 Beijing, China, 1860
In 1860, Beijing was at the center of the Second Opium War, which was an intense conflict between Britain, France, and China. Felice Beato, one of the world’s first war photographers, was there to capture the aftermath of the battles, often choosing to create views reflecting a European perspective. This photo of the Taku Forts is part of Beato’s album documenting the war.
13points
#16 Brussels, Belgium, 1890s
Brussels was modernizing at an accelerated pace in the late 19th century, and this photo captures its busiest square, Place de la Monnaie, which was the epicenter of the city’s transformation. At the heart of the area is the Royal Theatre of La Monnaie, which is now the capital’s national opera house and one of its most historic landmarks.
13points
#17 Edinburgh, Scotland, 1830s
In the early 19th century, Edinburgh was considered the “Athens of the North” because of its thriving intellectual life, neoclassical architecture, and rapid expansion. This daguerrotype, dating back to the late 1830s, was one of the first photos taken of the capital, capturing the heart of the city and several familiar landmarks.
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12points
#18 Damascus, Syria, 1857
Remarkably, Damascus is recognized as one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, with settlement dating back to around 10,000 BCE. This image, taken by British photographer Francis Frith in 1857, features the old city, and although some of the buildings have since been damaged by war, others are still visible today.
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12points
#19 Algiers, Algeria, 1896
Algiers was under French colonial rule in the late 19th century and became a key trade hub for North Africa. At the time, the city was giving way to new colonial buildings while maintaining some of its previous Ottoman architecture and style. This photo, capturing the port’s transformation, was taken in 1896.
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12points
#20 Copenhagen, Denmark, 1840
Widely regarded as the oldest surviving photo of Denmark, this photo of the public square, Ulfeldts Plads (now Gråbrødretorv), was taken by amateur photographer Peter Faber in 1840. During this period, Copenhagen was still a relatively small walled city, but that would soon change as just three years later, Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park would open. This marked a new era of expansion and transformation for the city.
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12points