Photos Of Crazily Beautiful Buildings Before They Were Lost To History Forever
It could break your heart to see some of the stunningly beautiful buildings lost to the wrecker’s ball – or other disaster – over the years. Stately hotels, stunning railroad stations and magnificent mansions – all razed. So we’ve rifled through the archives and uncovered 40 of the most majestic buildings that have disappeared from the face of the Earth.
40. Federal Building and Post Office – Chicago, U.S.
Seen here in 1961 and designed by Henry Cobb, the Chicago Federal Building opened for business in 1905. Its magnificent 300-foot tall cupola stood proud over downtown Chicago for six decades. Sparing no expense, the builders used white and Siena marble, polished granite and gilded bronze. It was pulled down in 1965 to make way for a replacement by modernist architect Mies van der Rohe.
39. Paleis voor Volksvlijt – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
This imposing structure is the Paleis voor Volksvlijt which was completed in 1864 – this image is from about 25 years later. Its Dutch name translates as “Palace of Industry” and it was indeed built as an exhibition hall. Said to have been influenced by the 1851 Crystal Palace in London, England, it too was lost to an inferno, meeting its fiery fate in 1929.
38. Wabash Terminal – Pittsburgh, U.S.
This ornately decorated Beaux-Arts building stood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the golden days of railroad travel. Dreamed up by Theodore Link, it was the terminus of the Wabash-Pittsburgh line when it opened in 1904. Sadly, it burnt down in the spring of 1946 when it was engulfed by two major fires inside of a month.
37. House and shops – Hamburg, Germany
Rather battered but undeniably quaint, this ancient building was said to be the oldest house in Hamburg when this photo was taken in 1898. Dating back to 1524, the building also housed shops in its ground floor. Signs to the front include one reading “Haarschneide-Salon”, German for hairdresser. Despite local opposition the building was pulled down in 1910.
