26 stunning photos that show how much city skylines have changed over the years

Then: New York City

Here's the New York City Skyline in 1964, from across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Now: New York City

In 2016, One World Trade Center dominates lower Manhattan.

Then: Dubai

In 2000, Dubai's Marina area was mostly dirt.

Now: Dubai

It's grown quite a lot.

Then: London

London's Westminster area in the late 1920s.

Now: London

Here it is in 2012. It's got some new landmarks, like the London Eye Ferris wheel.

Then: Abu Dhabi, UAE

Abu Dhabi's beach in 1961 featured just water distillation plants.

Now: Abu Dhabi, UAE

Now it's a place for tourists, with gleaming skyscrapers in the background.

Then: Paris

This is the view from the Eiffel Tower in Paris when it was built, in 1889.

Now: Paris

Today, the city is crowded with more buildings.

Then: Doha, Qatar

Doha, Qatar looked like this in 1977.

Now: Doha, Qatar

Here's the skyline today.

Then: Sydney

From Sydney's Harbour Bridge, you can see the skyline of the city. Here it was in the 1930s.

Now: Sydney

The skyline has grown significantly since then, with some of the largest buildings in Australia.

Then: Tokyo

In 1976, Tokyo's skyline was busy and the city was thriving.

Now: Tokyo

It's grown only more since then.

Then: Hong Kong

Hong Kong's buildings in 1957 were tall for their day.

Now: Hong Kong

Now they're even taller, made with plenty of glass and steel.

Then: Rio de Janeiro

This photo was taken sometime around 1930, when "Christ the Redeemer" was in construction.

Now: Rio de Janeiro

The city is much more developed today — and the statue looms over it all.

Then: Toronto

In the early 1930s, the tallest building in the Toronto skyline was 34 stories.

Now: Toronto

Now the shore is dotted with ambitious architectural creations like CN Tower and Rogers Centre.

Then: Shanghai

Shanghai's Pudong district in 1987 was a nice, bustling city.

Now: Shanghai

Three decades later, skyscrapers have shot up from the ground.

Then: Moscow

In 1917, the The Grand Kremlin Palace was the major feature on the banks of the Moskva River.

Now: Moscow

A century later, it hasn't changed much. Some works of architecture are just timeless.

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