Architecture, design, and aesthetic trends reveal a lot about society, its way of life, and its values. The building designs that you see in your city or town right now aren’t always how things were done. Arguably, in the past, people put a lot more effort into beauty, not just function.
The popular ‘Old World Architecture’ account posts some of the most powerful black-and-white images of old buildings on Instagram. We wanted to showcase some of the most architecturally impressive photos, so we’ve collected the best of the best for your judgment, Pandas. Scroll down to take a trip into the past. If you’re into architecture, you’ll probably find this post particularly delightful.
#3 The Original Neue Elbbrucke Bridge, Hamburg, Germany
Completed in 1887. The towers were destroyed in 1959 during the bridge's widening.
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#4 Christ The Savior Cathedral In Borki. Built 1888-1891 As Part Of A Memorial Complex By Alexander III In Honor Of His Family Being Saved From A Train Crash At The Site In 1888
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#5 The Main Portal Of The Capelas Imperfeitas In The Monastery Of Batalha, Portugal
The doorway was completed in 1509, the work on the monastery was halted in 1516 and remains unfinished to this day.
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#6 The Palace Of Electricity, Exposition Universelle
Built in 1900 for the Paris Exhibition. Steam generators inside the building provided electricity for the fair. Producing the light for the fair is said to have consumed 440,000 lbs of oil an hour. A gigantic water fountain facing the Palace circulated 26,000 US gallons per minute and was illuminated at night by continuously changing colored lights. The Palace was demolished after the conclusion of the Exposition.
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#7 The Grand Magasin Dufayel, Paris, France. First Opened In 1856, It Was Expanded Several Times Between 1874 And 1913 Becoming One Of The Largest Department Stores Of The Early 20th Century
At its peak, the store had over 15,000 employees. The building was famous for its monumental entrance (slides 1 & 4), grand staircase (slides 2 & 3), and glass dome (slide 5).
Business declined after World War 1, and the store closed in 1930 after going bankrupt. The building was used for storage by the Nazis during World War 2. After the war, Paris National Bank bought the building. The glass dome was removed in 1957, and other parts were demolished over time. Today the building houses banking and retail spaces.
The last slide is a drawing of an aerial view of the building in its heyday
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#8 Central Dome, 1889 Exposition Universal, Paris. Built For The 1889 World's Fair And Demolished Shortly After The Conclusion Of The Exposition
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#9 Al-Kazneh, Petra, Jordan. This Elaborate Tomb Is Thought To Have Been Carved Out Of A Sandstone Rock Face In The The 1st Century Ad
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#10 The Notre Dame Cathedral D'amiens, France. Completed In 1270. Declared A Unesco World Heritage Site In 1981. The Sand Bags Protecting The Building's Base During World War I
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#11 The Bowhead House, Edinburgh, Scotland. Built In The Mid-1500’s, Demolished 1878-1879
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#12 Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan, Italy. Designed By Giuseppe Mengoni In 1861, And Built Between 1865 And 1877
Heavily damaged during World War 2. Located in the center of the city, it is Italy's oldest active shopping gallery.
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#13 The Casino Kursaal Or Also Known As The Kursaal Pleasure Palace, Ostende. Built 1875, Destroyed During World War 2
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#14 The Central Theater, Dresden, Germany. Built 1897-1898, Destroyed By Fire In 1945 During The Dresden Bombing Raids In World War II
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#15 Photographs Of The Theatre Of Marcellus, Rome, Italy. Founded In 13 Bc. Today The Upper Floors Are Used For Apartments And The Surroundings Are Used As A Venue For Small Concerts
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#16 Walter Macfarlane Of Saracen Foundry Standing By A Lighting Standard Manufactured By His Company In Glasgow, Scotland
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#19 Dresden Frauenkirche, Germany. Constructed From 1726 To 1743, Destroyed In 1945 During The Bombing Of Dresden In World War 2
The remains of the church lay in a pile of rubble until 1993 when the building was rebuilt over several years being completed in 2005.
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#20 The Maison Du Roi (King's House) Or Broodhuis (Bread House), Brussels, Belgium. Built From 1874 To 1896
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