The World's 20 Most Iconic Landmarks Photographed Before They Were Completed

By | May 5, 2016

Take a look at 20 of the world's most iconic landmarks decades before they became the famous destinations that they are today. These rare photographs give us awesome insights as to how these magnificent structures looked like as they were being constructed.

I believe a huge thank you to their respective photographers for these classic shots are in order. Enjoy!

1. U.S. Capitol Building, 1861
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Library Of Congress

2. The Statue of Liberty, 1885
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Wikimedia Commons

3. The Eiffel Tower, 1888
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Public Domain

4. Tower Bridge, London, 1892
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Public Domain

5. Flatiron Building, 1902
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Library Of Congress

6. Lincoln Memorial, 1920
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The U.S. National Archives

7. Chrysler Building, 1930
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AP

8. The Empire State Building, 1931
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Lewis Wickes Hine / New York Public Library

9. Christ The Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1931
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Creative Commons

10. Hoover Dam, 1932
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Library of Congress

11. Mount Rushmore, 1933
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U.S. National Park Service

12. The Golden Gate Bridge, 1936
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Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District

13. Space Needle, Seattle, 1961
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Flickr / seattlemunicipalarchives

14. Gateway Arch, St. Louis, 1965
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AP

15. Sydney Opera House, 1966
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Flickr / oakleystudios

16. World Trade Center, 1970
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Ed Ford / AP

17. Luxor, Las Vegas, 1993
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Wikimedia Commons

18. Petronas Towers, Malaysia, 1995
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C.f.tham / Associated Press

19. Burj Khalifa, 2008
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Imre Solt

20. One World Trade Center, 2012
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Mario Tama / Getty Images

 
H/t Where Cool Things Happen