Timeless Euro Landmarks Need Facelifts Too!

 

When I first traveled to Europe, I didn't consider the loving care and restoration given the many landmarks.  These restorations sustain the brilliance of the architecture of the time it was built.  Above is the Eiffel Tower in Paris dated 1890 and my photo to the right 1973. Although, not much has changed, they've added electronic signage to announce special events.  I took the photo below in 1999.

The Tower was built in 1889 as an entrance to the World's Fair.  It stands 1050 feet tall.  You can see the signage added for special events.  When I took this photo it was nearing (283 jours or days) until the millennium celebration of 2000.

See the old and new comparison photos of very popular landmarks:

The Rome Colosseum

Photo on left taken about 1890 and mine on the right is 1973 when cars were able to drive around the structure.  

Here is one of my photos from 1999 where it appears the architectural trim has been "shaved off" and missing.  The street is now completely closed off again for tourists.  The Colosseum (below) is the most obvious restoration over the years from rustic to smooth contemporary-looking facade. It must be difficult to balance the original appearance and maintain the infrastructure. But miraculously, it now looks similar to its original rustic facade.

I took the one on the left in 2012 and the right in 2015.  Foot traffic is allowed all the way to the Forum down the street which makes it really comfortable walking for tourists.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Pisa, Italy

The photo on the left is the oldest while mine taken in 1973 and 2000 appear to be more "upright".  I wonder if its just the camera angle or they've actually "righted" the tower? Its still very amazing and architectural work looks very similar.  Construction of the Tower of Pisa started in the year 1173 and was completed in 1372. Construction stopped and restarted twice over those 199 years due to wars. Seven bells sit in the bell-chamber at the top of the tower, one bell for each note of the musical major scale.  The tower's foundations were built on soft subsoil which had difficulty supporting the tower's weight (14,500 ton). When the second story was started the lean became noticeable and only got worse as construction continued.

The Ruins of Pompeii in Pompeii, Italy

Located south of Naples, Pompeii is a fascinating city to visit.  Again, the photo on the left is dated between 1890 and 1900.  Mine on the right is 2012.  Not much has changed for this town ruined by lava from Mt. Vesuvius in 79AD.

Milan Duomo, Italy

 

Above:  Photo about 1900.  Below are two of my photos dated 1999 (left) and 2015 (right). Hardly much change in appearance except to clean or whiten it.  

Some limestone facades building will deteriorate when cleaned so they don't even attempt it. This is true for many buildings in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Bellagio, Lake Como, Lombardi Region Italy

Photo on the left about 1900 and mine on the right is 2015. 

Lake Como is Italy's third largest lake (30 miles long) and because of its pleasant climate, it's frequented by water seeking families as well as celebrities. Bellagio is just one of many towns but most popular with its charming walkways, boutique shops and great dining experiences. Hemingway featured Bellagio in his writings.  Como's lush vegitation has been the backdrop of many movies such as Casino Royale (below).

The Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy

The beautiful Baroque Trevi Fountain, one of Rome's oldest water features (finished in 1762) looks better than ever.  My photo on the right was taken in 2012 and the old photo on the left about 1900.  Did you know it's a crime to steal the coins out of the fountain?

Pompeii

The Forum at Pompeii: photo of 1895 shows Mt. Vesuvius in the background.  To the right is the photo I took in 2012.  Pompeii and Herculaneum are two of the towns that were completely destroyed by the lava spewing from the volcano. it you have the chance to visit you'll see mummified possessions just as they were when the lava covered them.

London's House of Parliament

 

Top photo 1890; I took the middle photo in 1999 and took my first photo (bottom) in 1973.

The Parliament is four stories high and was built in the 11th century for the government. In America, the President must sign a bill passed by both Houses of Congress before it can become law, however, in Britain, the Queen must sign any bill to become law.

Paris France

 

 Old photo dated 1990 and I took mine in 1999---no changes in appearance.

The Arc de Triomphe was ordered to be built by Napoleon in 1806 to honor the army.  Battle names were inscribed in the monument and it wasn't completed until 1836 after his death in 1821.

See my London post here

Rome post here

Pompeii post here