I came across this painting of New Amsterdam/Manhattan depicting the colony in 1665
and wondered what paintings of other cities from that date and from much earlier look like.

Please post any that you may know.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/04/06/nyregion/06amster.large2.jpg
From The NY Times 6 Apr 09

Here are some from Germany :)


Düsseldorf 1585

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/1070/15jhd2.jpg (http://img528.imageshack.us/my.php?image=15jhd2.jpg)
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/15jhd2.jpg/1/w567.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img528/15jhd2.jpg/1/)


Berlin 1658

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2343/mittelalterberlin.jpg (http://img141.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mittelalterberlin.jpg)
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/mittelalterberlin.jpg/1/w768.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img141/mittelalterberlin.jpg/1/)


Trier 1545

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/8707/800pxdemerianmainztrier.jpg (http://img3.imageshack.us/my.php?image=800pxdemerianmainztrier.jpg)
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/800pxdemerianmainztrier.jpg/1/w800.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img3/800pxdemerianmainztrier.jpg/1/)


Munich 1650

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/1332/marcktzumuenchen.png (http://img21.imageshack.us/my.php?image=marcktzumuenchen.png)
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/marcktzumuenchen.png/1/w579.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img21/marcktzumuenchen.png/1/)


Frankfurt an der Oder 1548

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/2664/stadtansicht1548800x600.gif (http://img9.imageshack.us/my.php?image=stadtansicht1548800x600.gif)
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/stadtansicht1548800x600.gif/1/w800.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img9/stadtansicht1548800x600.gif/1/)

Kyoto 1565
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/%E6%B4%9B%E4%B8%AD%E6%B4%9B%E5%A4%96%E5%9B%B3%E5%8F%B3.jpg/1000px-%E6%B4%9B%E4%B8%AD%E6%B4%9B%E5%A4%96%E5%9B%B3%E5%8F%B3.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/%E6%B4%9B%E4%B8%AD%E6%B4%9B%E5%A4%96%E5%9B%B3%E5%B7%A6.jpg/1000px-%E6%B4%9B%E4%B8%AD%E6%B4%9B%E5%A4%96%E5%9B%B3%E5%B7%A6.jpg

Tokyo 1630's
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Edo_P.jpg/2000px-Edo_P.jpg

Those are beautiful images!

Budapest

http://www.freeweb.hu/buda-pest/2/IMG0016.jpg

http://www.freeweb.hu/buda-pest/2/IMG0025.jpg

http://www.freeweb.hu/buda-pest/2/IMG0027.jpg
(http://buda-pest.freeweb.hu/)

CURRIER & IVES, The Great Fire of Chicago, Oct 8th, 1871. Lithograph from an original painting.

http://www.e-currier.com/t56.jpg

Athens, 1st century A.D.
http://www.sikyon.com/athens/Monuments/athens_view1.jpg

Athens, Ancient Agora, Classical Age
http://www.mitchellteachers.org/WorldHistory/AncientGreece/Images/AngoraAncientAthensTrans.jpg

http://images.google.com/hosted/life/f?q=athens+reconstruction&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dathens%2Breconstruction%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1&imgurl=2049d5cec9a256dd

Athens, view from Areos Pagos, Roman period
http://www.essential-architecture.com/EUROPE/GREECE/ACROP6.jpg

Athens from Piraeus port (probably Roman times)
http://www.yasou.org/ancient/images/athens.jpg

Acropolis, converted to a fortress, middle ages:
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/9332/frankish1gu2.jpg

Athens early 19th century

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Otto%27s_entry_in_Athens.jpg

Athens, middle 19th century
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6598/athens1861rg7.jpg
http://www.eie.gr/archaeologia/Gr/layout/images/12/zoom/YPPO02.jpg

Athens, late 19th century:
http://www.eie.gr/archaeologia/Gr/layout/images/12/zoom/YPPO04.jpg
http://www.eie.gr/archaeologia/Gr/layout/images/12/zoom/YPPO05.jpg
http://www.eie.gr/archaeologia/Gr/layout/images/12/zoom/YPPO06.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Vienna_austriae_detail.jpg/1000px-
Vienna 1548


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Canaletto_%28I%29_058.jpg

Vienna seen from the upper Belvedere
1758, painted by Canaletto

Thats 100 years later than the initial painting in this thread but still before any industrial revolution. I included it simply because it might be one of the most beatiful city scapes of Vienna being at least that old.

Zürich 1576 :)

http://i40.tinypic.com/2hefwr7.jpg

Boston
1841
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/9444/bostonview1841havell.jpg

mid-1700s
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/2576/bostonareacolonialmap.jpg

1882
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/5613/479pxoldnorthchurchbost.jpg


Constantinople (Istanbul)
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/1916/800pxbizansisttouchup.jpg

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/985/369pxschedelkonstantino.jpg


San Francisco
1860
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/2139/sanfrancisco1860.jpg


London
1751
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/2263/panoramicviewoflondonin.jpg


Luxembourg City
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/4199/luxembourg.jpg


Montreal
1889
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/6068/birdseyeviewofmontreal1.jpg


Melbourne
mid-1900s
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/261/freeman2.jpg

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/6733/freeman4.jpg

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9809/freeman5.jpg


Venice
1730
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/5664/800pxcanalettothegrandc.jpg


Vatican City
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/6039/775pxvivianocodazzistpe.jpg


New Amsterdam/New York
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/807/allardtotiusneobelgiino.png

1664
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/4981/gezichtopnieuwamsterdam.jpg

1872
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/8687/trinitychurchview1872.jpg


Paris
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/2760/capucines.jpg


Toronto
mid-1800s
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/351/a8228fullviewblg7.jpg

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/9879/lightsofacitystreet.jpg

Great post!

Lima

Early 1600, The capital of the Viceroy of Peru

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/sebvill/Limaantigua.jpg?t=1239154317

That's a beautiful painting. I assume that Lima was not the capital then. If so, what city was?

My city of Windsor in 'The Great Fire of 1849'...
No firemen or equipment to put it out, so Detroit firefighters saved our city.
We returned the favour 118 years later when the Detroit Riots broke out.
http://www.suchiu.com/images/windsor_great_fire_1949_art_print.jpg


There's others, I just can't find them!

That's a beautiful painting. I assume that Lima was not the capital then. If so, what city was?

In that times Peru was part of the Spanish Empire. The Viceroy of Peru included Colombia, Ecuador, Western Peru, Bolivia (The High Peru), Chile and Argentina. The first capital of this vast land (almost half South America excpet Venezuela and Brazil) was Cuzco, but because it was an Inca city, the Spanish soon move the capital to Jauja, also in the Peruvian highlands, to move it then to Lima in the 17th century as it was closer to the Callao Port.
Later that century Peru lost the northern territories of Colombia to the Viceroy of New Granade and the territories of Argentina to the Viceroy of the River Plate.

finished about 900 years ago, north song dynasty. show the daily life of kaifeng city, the capital of north song dynasty(nowadays only a small city in china).
stroll>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
http://blog.guqu.net/UploadFiles/2006-10/103415180.jpg
http://blog.5d.cn/user17/yuchi003213/upload/2006-05/13_646.jpg
http://bridge8.021ci.com/tp/news/200711/20071120141816304.jpg
http://www.9yc.com/tp/news/200712/20071213140902173.jpg
http://www.9yc.com/tp/news/200712/20071213140851967.jpg
http://blog.guqu.net/UploadFiles/2006-10/103415180.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2320/2185786016_baf810d71b_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2010/2185000931_3e347ba434_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2352/2185000995_104690698d_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/512709976_b6f971be2c_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/512709972_1c01267044_o.jpg

The city of Manila. Oil painting on the inside of a wooden chest, circa 1640-50. Museo de Arte Jose Luis Bello, Puebla. Mexico.

http://www.aenet.org/manila-expo/p11ima1.jpg

Seat of St. Francis in Manila. Fernando Brambila. Collection of drawings and engravings of the Malaspina Expedition. 1789-1794

http://www.eserbisyo.gov.ph/Uploads/Image/attractions/oldintra.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2315/2199670863_39c4c239c1_b.jpg

Une rue de Manille. Philippines.
Sabatier, Léon, d. 1887 – Lithographer

http://images.nypl.org/?id=54722&t=w

View of the bay and the city of Manila. Engraving made by Francisco Javier de Herrera. 1818.

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3084/manila1851li6.jpg

Bilbao in 1554
http://www.celtiberia.net/imagftp/bilbao_braun_hogenberg.jpg

In XVIII
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Bilboko_irudi_historikoa.jpg/535px-Bilboko_irudi_historikoa.jpg

Lima

Early 1600, The capital of the Viceroy of Peru

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/sebvill/Limaantigua.jpg?t=1239154317

This is amazing

Xian - formerly Chang'an, the worlds largest, most cosmopolitan city of its time, and the Eastern counterpart to the Roman Empire.
As the nexus to the Silk Route it had communities of Arabs, Greeks, Persians, Indians and SE Asians:

Its population numbered over a million, and it was based on a grid plan that was later copied into newer capitals such as Kaifeng, Beijing, Seoul, Kyoto and Nara. Some of these streets acted as subdivisions to the city quartiers (aswell as firebreaks and ceremonial ways between the palaces and the city gates), and were up to 700ft wide:


http://lh6.ggpht.com/tessellar/RvVEMA_oMQI/AAAAAAAACYA/XcV_vey10sU/s800/Chang+an+birds+eye+view.jpg

The city had 270 palaces, built in the different styles of the conquered nations of the empire.
The largest was the Ebang Palace, constructed 2,200 years ago, but still the largest ever built and that was 7x larger than the today's record holder, the Forbidden City in Beijing.
It had a throne room 675 m (1/3 of a mile) long:

http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/images/arbigimages/d43f97491ae3ad5272fb7f0e627e9be9.jpg


The Daming palace was another huge residence, its encircling wall 7.6 km in diameter and with 40 pavilions and lesser palaces within in the garden style

http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/images/exbig_images/248fba6a9589660d91cd87f7b9429626.jpg http://image.cnwest.com/attachement/bmp/site1/20081023/001372d8a0e00a6a673f61.bmp http://www.china-tour.cn/images/Chinese-History/Daming-Palace.jpg

http://www.bpovia.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/untitled-1t.jpg

finished about 900 years ago, north song dynasty. show the daily life of kaifeng city, the capital of north song dynasty(nowadays only a small city in china).
stroll>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


That's not Kaifeng because you're showing the Ming version of the painting, which depicts a fantasy place that never exists. The Song original is the one featuring Kaifeng.

Lima

Early 1600, The capital of the Viceroy of Peru

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/sebvill/Limaantigua.jpg?t=1239154317

Same place nowdays
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/sebvill/limanight.jpg?t=1239483880

Copenhagen around 1750 - one of the old city gates:
http://www.byhistorie.dk/byporte/billeder/koebenhavn_vesterport_racheegberg.jpg

Copenhagen 1801 - guesst from England in the front fronting the Danish-Norwegian fleet. Copenhagen can be seen in the background:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/PocockBattleOfCopenhagen.jpg

Copenhagen 1807 - after anothe visit by the British fleet:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Copenhagen_on_fire_1807_by_CW_Eckersberg.jpg

Copenhagen during the vinter 1919:
http://www.denstoredanske.dk/@api/deki/files/9225/=326297.501.jpg

Paris in the 1410s
(images from the Très riches heures du duc de Berry, the "king of illuminated manuscripts")

The Île de la Cité as seen from across the Seine River. The Royal Palace (now the Palace of Justice) is clearly visible along with the Sainte Chapelle. The gardens of the palace are now the Place Dauphine.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Les_Tr%C3%A8s_Riches_Heures_du_duc_de_Berry_juin.jpg/950px-Les_Tr%C3%A8s_Riches_Heures_du_duc_de_Berry_juin.jpg

The Louvre as seen from across the Seine River. The beautiful Medieval Louvre that you can see here was destroyed by King François Ier in the 16th century and replaced by the Renaissance Louvre that you can visit today. Basements of the Medieval Louvre still remain inside the Louvre Museum, notably the walls of the central keep (dungeon) that you can see in the middle of the castle.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Les_Tr%C3%A8s_Riches_Heures_du_duc_de_Berry_octobre.jpg/950px-Les_Tr%C3%A8s_Riches_Heures_du_duc_de_Berry_octobre.jpg

The Vincennes Castle, located on the edge of the Bois de Vincennes. The Medieval Vincennes Castle still exists today, but most of the towers were unfortunately demolished by Napoleon in the 1800s and now stand only to the height of the ramparts. The big keep (dungeon) that you can see in the middle of the castle still exists today (Napoleon didn't demolish it). It is the tallest Medieval dungeon in Europe. It was the favorite dwelling of King Charles V in the 14th century. It has now reopened after several years of restoration and is one of the most fascinating monuments to visit in Paris, with almost no tourists around because for some odd reason it is not a not a well-known tourist site despite its exceptional historical character.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Les_Tr%C3%A8s_Riches_Heures_du_duc_de_Berry_d%C3%A9cembre.jpg/950px-Les_Tr%C3%A8s_Riches_Heures_du_duc_de_Berry_d%C3%A9cembre.jpg

That's the dungeon of the Vincennes Castle today (the moats have no more water, and the other towers were demolished to the height of the rampart):
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1144/998858103_129254b982_b.jpg

Back when it was built, it was in the countryside, on the edge of the Bois de Vincennes. Today the Bois de Vincennes still exists, but the
Vincennes Castle has been engulfed by Paris and is now entirely surrounded by urbanization. This is the view from the top of the Vincennes
dungeon today. Back in the 1410s, the view would have been green fields, and the distant spires of Medieval Paris on the horizon. King
Charles V liked to climb on top of the dungeon and admire Paris on the horizon. Today you can still spot the two towers of Notre Dame
just to the right of the Eiffel Tower.

SCROLL>>>>
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3021/2870503270_186fa1c353_o.jpg

Toronto, 1883
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9374/chromolithographofcityo.jpg

Athens, 1st century A.D.
http://www.sikyon.com/athens/Monuments/athens_view1.jpg

Athens, Ancient Agora, Classical Age
http://www.mitchellteachers.org/WorldHistory/AncientGreece/Images/AngoraAncientAthensTrans.jpg

http://images.google.com/hosted/life/f?q=athens+reconstruction&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dathens%2Breconstruction%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1&imgurl=2049d5cec9a256dd

Athens, view from Areos Pagos, Roman period
http://www.essential-architecture.com/EUROPE/GREECE/ACROP6.jpg

Athens from Piraeus port (probably Roman times)
http://www.yasou.org/ancient/images/athens.jpg

Acropolis, converted to a fortress, middle ages:
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/9332/frankish1gu2.jpg

Athens early 19th century

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Otto%27s_entry_in_Athens.jpg

Athens, middle 19th century
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6598/athens1861rg7.jpg
http://www.eie.gr/archaeologia/Gr/layout/images/12/zoom/YPPO02.jpg


wow, these athens pictures are really amazing...

i wish athens looks like this today, keeping much of it's ancient, old buildings and flavour.

Sydney - 4 March 1804 (Castle Hill convict rebellion)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Castle_hill_irish_rebellion_of_1804_australia.jpg/769px-Castle_hill_irish_rebellion_of_1804_australia.jpg


The Rocks and Sydney Cove - c. 1807

http://www.sydney-australia.biz/history/graphics/the-rocks-1807.jpg


Looking North over Hyde Park - c. 1828

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/20/Sydney_looking_north_over_Hyde_Park_1828.jpg

Few cities from Poland:

Cracow - 1493:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Nuremberg_chronicles_-_CRACOVIA.png/800px-Nuremberg_chronicles_-_CRACOVIA.png

Wroclaw (Breslau) - 1493 :
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Nuremberg_chronicles_-_BRESSLA.png/800px-Nuremberg_chronicles_-_BRESSLA.png

Toruń - 1684 :
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Torun_Hartknoch.jpg

Warsaw - 1656 :
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Warsaw1656.JPG
All pictures from wikipedia

^^Very nice!

Luik/liege around 1400
http://home.scarlet.be/hetoudelandvanluik/images/raesvanheers/photo1.jpg
http://home.scarlet.be/hetoudelandvanluik/images/raesvanheers/photo1.jpg

Brussels

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/7451/imagebz4.jpg
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/7451/imagebz4.jpg

Dresden, By Bernardo Bellotto ( 18th century)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2601/3977986269_10d55d28e1_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30578611@N07/3977986269/)
New Market Sq. Dresden (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30578611@N07/3977986269/) di j_hasara (http://www.flickr.com/people/30578611@N07/), su Flickr

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1105/1053255736_18e461f4c1_z.jpg?zz=1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10947913@N07/

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2502/4117614622_3a75356da5_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/archer10/

London, Northumberland house. By Giovanni Antonio Canal (aka Canaletto)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Northumberland_House_by_Canaletto_%281752%29.JPG/1024px-Northumberland_House_by_Canaletto_%281752%29.JPG (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northumberland_House_by_Canaletto_(1752).JPG)
Northumberland House by Canaletto (1752) (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northumberland_House_by_Canaletto_(1752).JPG) by Oliver Chettle from Wikimedia Commons

London
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Canaletto_london.jpg/1024px-Canaletto_london.jpg (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canaletto_london.jpg)
Canaletto london (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canaletto_london.jpg) [Public domain], di Giovanni Antonio Canal (Canaletto) (1697–1768)

XVIII c. Warsaw by Bernardo Bellotto:

view from Royal Castle
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Bellotto_1773_Warsaw_fragment.PNG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Kgv87hQxxr8/SdjVZllQyLI/AAAAAAAAC2k/uU6EB9qEIrk/Bernardo%20Bellotto%20-%20Widok%20Warszawy%20od%20strony%20zamku%20kro%CC%81lewskiego,%20View%20of%20Warsaw%20from%20the%20Royal%20Palace%201773%20Oil%20on%20canvas,%20166%20x%20269%20cm%20National%20Museum,%20Warsaw.jpg

Miodowa street
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Canaletto_Miadowastrasse_Warschau.jpg]

Iron Gate Square
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/POL_Warsaw_Plac_%C5%BBelaznej_Bramy_Canaletto.jpg

view from right bank of Vistula
http://arekbialy.republika.pl/obrazki%5Cwidok2.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Warszawa4.jpg

Krakowskie Przedmiescie street
http://zamek-krolewski.com.pl/work/privateimages/0CHFvw

Castle Square
http://zamek-krolewski.com.pl/work/privateimages/TnSkfj

Paris as seen by impressionist painters...


Gustave Caillebotte

http://www.arthistory.cc/auth/caillebotte/pont-europe/caillebotte.pont-europe.jpg
Pont de l'Europe (over Saint-Lazare station railyard).


http://www.arthistory.cc/auth/caillebotte/rainy.jpg

http://www.web-sy.fr/peintres_impressionnistes/grandes_images/caillebotte/boulevard_italiens.jpg
Boulevard des Italiens (Crédit Lyonnais Headquarters)

http://www.arthistory.cc/auth/caillebotte/caillebotte.rooftops-snow.jpg


Auguste Renoir

http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/renoir/land/pontneuf.jpg
Pont-Neuf bridge over Ile de la Cité

http://www.surfnetkids.com/images/Renoir21.jpg

http://imagecache5.art.com/p/LRG/21/2113/ZAHED00Z/pierre-auguste-renoir-les-parapluies.jpg
Les parapluies (the umbrellas)


Claude Monet

http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/monet/paris/monet.st-lazare.jpg
Saint-Lazare Station

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sd4aOA0Ur-I/SYgSRZlPmGI/AAAAAAAAE5o/9baAGaRGRfE/capucines_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg
Boulevard des Capucines

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/4967054034_9d65f4e469_z.jpg
Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois church

Naples in 15th century
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Tavola_Strozzi_-_Napoli.jpg/1024px-Tavola_Strozzi_-_Napoli.jpg (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tavola_Strozzi_-_Napoli.jpg)
Tavola Strozzi - Napoli (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tavola_Strozzi_-_Napoli.jpg) [Public domain], di ignoto, da Wikimedia Commons

Amsterdam 1544 by Cornelis Anthonisz:

Click here (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Cornelis_anthonisz_vogelvluchtkaart_amsterdam.JPG) for a BIG version. It shows great detail.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/Cornelis_anthonisz_vogelvluchtkaart_amsterdam.JPG/616px-Cornelis_anthonisz_vogelvluchtkaart_amsterdam.JPG

Athens, 1st century A.D.
http://www.sikyon.com/athens/Monuments/athens_view1.jpg


This is simply incredible. How I wish this was retained up to the modern times.

This is simply incredible. How I wish this was retained up to the modern times.

same... that would be incredible.

imagine visiting greece today and seeing ancient greek sites and buildings just like how you have many egyptian ones today in egypt

Costantinople (mural in the Istanbul archaeology museum)http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Constantinople_Mural_Fourth_Crusade.jpg/1024px-Constantinople_Mural_Fourth_Crusade.jpg (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Constantinople_Mural_Fourth_Crusade.jpg)
Constantinople Mural Fourth Crusade (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Constantinople_Mural_Fourth_Crusade.jpg) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], by en:User:User:Argos'Dad (en:User:User:Argos'Dad [1]), from Wikimedia Commons

Venice, by Francesco Guardi 1780
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/%27Venice_from_the_Bacino_di_San_Marco%27%2C_oil_on_canvas_painting_by_Francesco_Guardi.jpg (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:'Venice_from_the_Bacino_di_San_Marco',_oil_on_canvas_painting_by_Francesco_Guardi.jpg)
wikimedia

Rome,1696
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/River_View_with_the_Ponte_Rotto.jpg (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:River_View_with_the_Ponte_Rotto.jpg)
River View with the Ponte Rotto (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:River_View_with_the_Ponte_Rotto.jpg) from Wikimedia Commons

Paris, 1789.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Prise_de_la_Bastille_IMG_2250.jpg/1024px-Prise_de_la_Bastille_IMG_2250.jpg (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prise_de_la_Bastille_IMG_2250.jpg)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prise_de_la_Bastille_IMG_2250.jpg from Wikimedia Commons

Istanbul, first half of 18th century
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Jean-Baptiste_van_Mour_002.jpg/512px-Jean-Baptiste_van_Mour_002.jpg (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jean-Baptiste_van_Mour_002.jpg)
Jean-Baptiste van Mour 002 (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jean-Baptiste_van_Mour_002.jpg) [Public domain], by Mour, Jean-Baptiste van, from Wikimedia Commons

that picture from Lima it's really amazing, about 1600! :O
and that fight in Paris in 1789 is fantastic too, i love that style :)

Buenos Aires

1st foundation (1536) fort - Author: Ulrico Schmidt
http://file049a.bebo.com/15/original/2009/09/10/14/8934082877a11572704573o.jpg

San Martín square today exists, is in front of English's Clocktower and near the center of the city and Florida steet.
http://file049a.bebo.com/14/original/2009/09/10/14/8934082877a11572704602o.jpg

both 1794 (the firsts building in the city were religious, smalls churchs...)
http://file049a.bebo.com/0/original/2009/09/10/14/8934082877a11572704712o.jpg
http://file051a.bebo.com/1/original/2009/09/10/14/8934082877a11572704728o.jpg

1832 - a zone on actual Retiro town
http://file049a.bebo.com/21/original/2009/09/10/14/8934082877a11572704853o.jpg

source:
http://www.fotosbuzz.com/buenos-aires-cronologia-en-fotos

London 1665 Great Plague kills 100,000.
The rich leave in droves, the poor are barred from leaving, and the infected walled into their homes.

http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/images/great-plague/plague-illustration.jpg

http://gallery.nen.gov.uk/gallery_images/0708/0000/0352/plague_mid.jpg http://www.hss.state.ak.us/gcdse/history/Images/section%2002%20-%20dark%20ages/2c-london-map.jpg

1666, year of the comet - city destroyed

http://www.tigermoon.co.uk/UserFiles/productImages/Great%20Fire%20Of%20London04092010160523.jpg


http://www.lordmayorsshow.org/assets/211/35_great_fire_full.jpg

http://www.explore-stpauls.net/oct03/images/movieimg/GreatFire02.jpg http://www.explore-stpauls.net/oct03/images/movieimg/GreatFire10.jpg

By Michael Wolgemut


Costantinople in 1491
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Schedel_konstantinopel.jpg/369px-Schedel_konstantinopel.jpg
wikimedia

Nurnberg in1493
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Nuremberg_chronicles_-_Nuremberga.png/512px-Nuremberg_chronicles_-_Nuremberga.png (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuremberg_chronicles_-_Nuremberga.png)
Nuremberg chronicles - Nuremberga (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuremberg_chronicles_-_Nuremberga.png) from Wikimedia Commons

wow Nurnberg had a double set of walls. Does it still exist?

i don't know :dunno:

A View of Asheville, North Carolina by Robert Scott Duncanson, 1850

http://www.mfah.org/site_media/uploads/images/2010-12-06/61522_jpg_527x396_upscale_q95.jpg

What makes this painting noteworthy is less the view and more the fact that its painter was the first prominent painter of African descent in the US, and it was painted more than a decade before the end of slavery in the United States.

Brno
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__tihWlo4f-E/S1cLRov24oI/AAAAAAAAAAU/cVQqHlkvIuc/S660/inka--brno-historie-005-1645.jpg

in 1622
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/4062/obraz329r.jpg

Novi Sad, Serbia
http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/3636/nswn1.jpg

Ancient illustration (1430 AD) with the siege of Baghdad by Hulagu Khan in 1258
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Hulagu_Baghdad_1258.jpg/1024px-Hulagu_Baghdad_1258.jpg (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hulagu_Baghdad_1258.jpg)
Hulagu Baghdad 1258 (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hulagu_Baghdad_1258.jpg) [Public domain], di Sayf al-Vâhidî. Hérât. Afghanistan, da Wikimedia Commons

Night view of Saruwakacho, Edo (Tokyo)- 1856. By Hiroshige.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Hiroshige%2C_Night_View_of_Saruwakacho.jpg/512px-Hiroshige%2C_Night_View_of_Saruwakacho.jpg (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hiroshige,_Night_View_of_Saruwakacho.jpg)
wikimedia commons

Lisbon before the 1755 earthquake

http://i.imgur.com/A8IPG.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5Ucyh.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/Rugendas_-_Vue_prise_devant_leglise_de_San-Bento-1.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/rio-realteatrosc3a3ojoc3a3olargorocio-debret1834.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/taunay_outeiro_gloria.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/RiodeJaneiroCentroAntigo114.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/RiodeJaneiroCentroAntigo111.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/palacio.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/Nicolas-Antoine_Taunay.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/mosteiro-de-sao-bento-no-rio-de-janeiro-3.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/IpanemaLeblonLagoa.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/fo0510.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/fo0509.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/Flix_Taunay_-_1823_-_Rua_Direita_Rio_de_Janeiro.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/EnseadaBotafogo1820.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/corcovado_chamberlain.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/AquedutoDaCarioca1875.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/1279705288709_f.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/287275228_53a9eb9103.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/3020910.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/213_1849-barra1-tratada-OK-500.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii307/pscheunemann/0015photo.jpg

Nihonbashi, Edo (Tokyo) 1830. By Hokusai.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/2596300308_3a84d7d91c_z.jpg?zz=1

:

Some more detailed views (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:%22View_of_Edo%22_folding_left_screen_(17th_century)) of the shown 17th century Edo painting:

Edo Castle - the largest castle ever built, made up of 5 concentric rings of battlements designed to trap and confuse marauding armies

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Edo_P2.jpg/800px-Edo_P2.jpg
Wiki (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edo_P2.jpg)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Kyosai_Kiyomitsu_001.jpg

It once took up the entire Imperial Palace Park, and some:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Japan_Emperor_Akihito_20th_anniversary_2.jpg/800px-Japan_Emperor_Akihito_20th_anniversary_2.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/9656/800pximperialpalacetoky.jpg



In 1657, a kimono owned by 3 successive courtesans, who died shortly after, was ceremonially burned in exorcism. The original kimono had been
made out of purple cloth echoing the clothes of a handsome man the girl had seen at court. All 3 claimed to be haunted by a 'beautiful shadow'.
As it was being burned a sudden wing sprang up and set fire to the temple, then the entire city, including 600 palaces and temples, and killing up to 100,000.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/Meireki_fire.JPG/760px-Meireki_fire.JPG http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_AdeUgwXpSAM/SC-PLmLYkhI/AAAAAAAAHW4/lyPs8Iq47ZM/s400/Meirekifire.jpg

Unbeknownst to itself the new Edo that rose from the ashes often became the world's largest city in many periods of its isolation, by 1700 it topped 1 million


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Edo_P.jpg/1500px-Edo_P.jpg

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/5962/87956802.png

Merchant's shops in Edo old town
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Edo_l138.jpg/771px-Edo_l138.jpg http://factsanddetails.com/media/2/20091010-edo%20musuem%20ryogokubashi.jpg
Wiki (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edo_l138.jpg)

Parts of the castle
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Edo_l222.jpg/771px-Edo_l222.jpg http://www.japanstyle.info/wordpress/wp-content/images//edo_picture.jpg
Wiki (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edo_l222.jpg)

"Tameike Pond, Hie Sanno Shrine and shops in front of it, Ii Kamon no kami residence"
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Edo_l314.jpg/771px-Edo_l314.jpg
Wiki (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edo_l314.jpg)


http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u293/ikband/aoetad/vlcsnap-78339.png

Photochrome print panorama of Edo / old Tokyo. By the time the American 'Black Ships' landed and opened up
Japan to the world Edo was vying with Beijing and London as the world's largest city, with vast court, entertainment, sex, merchant and working class districts:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Edo_Panorama_old_Tokyo_color_photochrom.jpg/800px-Edo_Panorama_old_Tokyo_color_photochrom.jpg
Wiki - full resolution here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Edo_Panorama_old_Tokyo_color_photochrom.jpg)
Just before the earthquake
http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/resources/category/1/7/1/1/images/U218257INP.jpg
http://aboutjapan.japansociety.or


Edo was wiped out by earthquake, fire and tsunami in 1923 - the world's costliest natural disaster to this day.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Marunouchi_after_the_Great_Kanto_Earthquake.JPG http://www.corbisimages.com/images/67/9835D9DF-C76D-4BB9-875E-5B919DB61D93/BE032677.jpg

The new city that rose from its ashes was again annihilated in 1945, in the worlds worst air raids (so destroyed there was no point of dropping the
A-bombs on it). If it had survived it would have been the worlds largest collection of art deco.

http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/tokyo_modern_01/image/kk003_1929_w105_bank_c54319.jpg http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/tokyo_modern_01/image/kk027_1932_w109_sports54377.jpg
http://ocw.mit.edu
http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/tokyo_modern_01/image/kk096_1937_w004_suehir54310.jpg http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/tokyo_modern_01/image/shinhanga_box556157.jpg
http://ocw.mit.edu
http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/tokyo_modern_01/image/kk017_1931_w090_park_c53567.jpg http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/tokyo_modern_01/image/kk044et_1934_Nihonbash53650.jpg
http://ocw.mit.edu
http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/tokyo_modern_01/image/kk061_1935_w045_shinju54495.jpg http://www.corbisimages.com/images/67/D902B146-8815-43CC-93C1-822FC6BC957E/U1259189INP.jpg

1945
http://www.corbisimages.com/images/67/EC364845-A820-4C23-9A13-4DDE5953E2C3/NA006848.jpg http://www.corbisimages.com/images/67/66A91859-3340-41D4-A01A-89E8A739786F/BE035163.jpg
www.corbisimages.com

How reliable those pictures for today or it may have been really so . . . ? :)

Ancient map of Tripoli
http://cf.juggle-images.com/fit/white/600x600/wg-tripoli-8.jpg
http://www.juggle.com/tripoli

St Thomas' Hospital, London. 1860

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Zy_p7cshBtk/S_gcLAqUWXI/AAAAAAAAC8w/xw4iM7S0VKA/s1600/St_Thomas_hospital.jpg
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/speel/london/westbr.htm

Ok so its not as historic as the other ones but here's one of 1955 Melbourne: "Collins Street 5pm" by John brack:
http://www.thekeenans.id.au/images/CollinsSt5pm.jpg
http://www.thekeenans.id.au/images/CollinsSt5pm.jpg
Theres some other really good drawings of 1960s Melbourne somewhere in the ozscrapers section

http://www.zpub.com:80/sf/history/sfh1.jpg

Lurid flames sweep San Francisco in William Alexander Coulter’s (1849-1936) panorama of the largest maritime rescue in United States history, where more than thirty-thousand people were taken from the shoreline between Fort Mason and the foot of Lombard Street. Mr. Coulter’s painting depicts the flotilla of rescue vessels ferrying survivors from the burning city to Sausalito.

Mr. Coulter painted from sketches drawn as he helped during the Dunkirk-like evacuation, and he took certain liberties with the San Francisco skyline to give this magnificent picture balance.

The eye, at first, is drawn to the large sailing ships highlighted against the thick, black smoke which obscured the downtown area. He moved the Hall of Justice near Chinatown to just left of center, the Call Building to just right of center, and depicted the burning of Nob Hill on the far right. True perspective would place almost all of these landmarks within the ominous smoke cloud.

This painting, executed on a 5 X 10-foot windowshade, hung for many years in San Francisco’s Commercial Club, and was later sold by Maxwell Galleries, Ltd.
Source: http://www.sfmuseum.org/1906/coulter.html