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Architecture, history, and archeology lovers, you’re in for a treat! One man’s passion for architecture helped develop a massive community of like-minded people. Welcome to the ‘Lost Architecture’ project, a cozy niche on Reddit carved out by architectural historian Tom Ravenscroft.

The r/Lost_Architecture subreddit has over 133k members following the latest posts that are all about showing some love to interesting buildings that (sadly!) no longer exist. The community is dedicated to documenting how much time changes the world and how even the buildings that we think will seemingly stand forever eventually crumble and wither away. It’s a dive into the past and a journey you don’t want to resurface from any time soon.

To show you just how awesome of an online community it is and how easy it is to fall in love with it, we’ve picked out some of the best photos shared by its members. As you’re scrolling down, going deeper, flipping back through the pages of history, remember to upvote the pics that you liked the most. We’d also love to hear all about which buildings caught your eye and why, so be sure to write us a comment (or two!) at the very bottom of this list.

Tom, the founder of the subreddit and the editor of Dezeen, the world's largest architect and design site, was kind enough to walk Bored Panda through the inspiration behind r/Lost_Architecture, how the community has changed over the years, and what keeps him fascinated with architectural history. Read on for the full interview, dear Pandas!

More info: Reddit | Twitter

#1

The Original Neue Elbbrücke Bridge From 1887-1959 In Hamburg, Germany

The Original Neue Elbbrücke Bridge From 1887-1959 In Hamburg, Germany

PythiaPhemonoe Report

#3

“It’s Not Possible To Take Such A Photograph Anymore, As The Buildings Outside Block The Sun Rays.” Grand Central, NYC (1929)

“It’s Not Possible To Take Such A Photograph Anymore, As The Buildings Outside Block The Sun Rays.” Grand Central, NYC (1929)

reddit.com Report

Just last week, on May 25, the ‘Lost Architecture’ project celebrated its 4th birthday. Founded back in 2017, the subreddit has, since then, become a staple for architecture and history lovers who are redditors or simply passing through alike.

'Lost Architecture's' founder, Tom, revealed to Bored Panda that he founded the subreddit because of one specific event that occurred in 2014. "The sub was born as a direct response to the sad demolition of Bertrand Goldberg's Brutalist Prentice Hospital in Chicago, which featured in the sub's first post and is still the sub's icon," he said.

After posting a picture of the hospital before it was demolished on Reddit, he then realized that there was no subreddit dedicated exclusively to lost architecture. And that's what drove him to create r/Lost_Architecture.

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#4

Built In 1504, Demolished In 1910. What Was The Oldest House In Hamburg, Germany

Built In 1504, Demolished In 1910. What Was The Oldest House In Hamburg, Germany

CuriousHedgie Report

#6

Buddhas Of Bamiyan 6th-Century,the Statues Were Blown Up And Destroyed In March 2001 By The Taliban, On Orders From Leader Mullah Mohammed Omar

Buddhas Of Bamiyan 6th-Century,the Statues Were Blown Up And Destroyed In March 2001 By The Taliban, On Orders From Leader Mullah Mohammed Omar

Son_Of_Earth Report

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Aksa
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember the news on tv about the destruction of these statues. I was a child and I was shocked by thoughtlessness and lack of respect for cultural relics.

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"The community was started, and remains, a place to celebrate the breadth of lost architecture, highlighting buildings that are no longer with us from the significant to the bizarre, or even mundane. As it has grown so too has the breadth of the lost architecture featured, allowing me and the community to learn both about long disappeared buildings and recently demolished buildings," Tom praised the community that has grown immensely since 2017.

Tom also opened up about his love for architecture and how this passion has woven itself into his life. "Architecture has fascinated me for a very long time and I'm lucky enough to have studied it and now worked near it for an age. My masters are in architectural history and I have worked as an architecture journalist for years—currently, I am the editor of the world's largest architect and design site Dezeen—so I get to enjoy architecture a lot! Lost Architecture is another place to reveal buildings I was not aware of and then jump down rabbit holes of researching them. I hope others enjoy it too," he detailed.

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#7

Medieval Town Of Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany. Once One Of The Most Picturesque And Pristine Late Medieval Towns In Europe. Destroyed On March 22nd, 1945, One Month Before The War's End

Medieval Town Of Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany. Once One Of The Most Picturesque And Pristine Late Medieval Towns In Europe. Destroyed On March 22nd, 1945, One Month Before The War's End

Strydwolf Report

#8

Old Detroit Library In Detroit, Mi. Opened In 1877 And Demolished In 1931

Old Detroit Library In Detroit, Mi. Opened In 1877 And Demolished In 1931

Romanzo71 Report

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#9

The Saltair Pavilion 1900-1925

The Saltair Pavilion 1900-1925

seaboigium Report

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Mihai Mara
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

from Wikipedia: "The first Saltair pavilion and a few other buildings were destroyed by fire on April 22, 1925.[3] A new pavilion was built, and the resort was expanded at the same location by new investors,"

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"Lost Architecture has showcased lost buildings of all styles from all around the world. Although I enjoy the sub, there are many many buildings I never want to see in it. Right now there are numerous examples of both historical and more contemporary modernist, Brutalist and PoMo buildings that are under threat from demolition. I hope we won't be seeing any of them in Lost Architecture any time soon," he shared that as much as he enjoys the subreddit, protecting the historic buildings themselves is more important than a quality photo that would fit the community's theme.

#10

2000 Year Old N6 Pyramid In Sudan Which Was Demolished In The 1800’s By An Italian Treasure Hunter

2000 Year Old N6 Pyramid In Sudan Which Was Demolished In The 1800’s By An Italian Treasure Hunter

DontEatTheChapstick Report

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Friday
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The pyramid was the biggest treasure only to be destroyed by ignorance and greed.

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#11

The Late 3rd Century Tetrapylon Of Ancient Palmyra, Syria. Deliberately Destroyed By Isis, 2017

The Late 3rd Century Tetrapylon Of Ancient Palmyra, Syria. Deliberately Destroyed By Isis, 2017

pseudangelos Report

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Ara
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A sickening and pointless act. What did the destruction really achieve?

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#12

Warsaw, Poland 1939. No Need To Say What Happened Here. Truly A Tragic Loss

Warsaw, Poland 1939. No Need To Say What Happened Here. Truly A Tragic Loss

superdomodo13 Report

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Shelp
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This wasn't in 1939, because the big church you see in the background has been destroyed during WW1. Anyways, the complete demolition of Warsaw during WW2 was terrible.

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The subreddit is pretty much straightforward and only has a tiny handful of rules (which, considering Reddit’s love for long lists of rules as a whole, is fairly surprising yet refreshing). So anyone thinking about posting on r/Lost_Architecture should focus on posting buildings that have been lost (duh!) and avoid before-and-after images. There’s plenty of room on Reddit for B&A’s, but r/Lost_Architecture is not one of them.

Architectural history itself is the study of buildings in their historical context. What the historian focuses on depends on their interests: some put all of their energy into the conservation and preservation of buildings while others see education—whether at university or through other means like traditional, digital, or social media—to be their calling.

#13

Times Square (1919) Before All The Renovations And Billboards

Times Square (1919) Before All The Renovations And Billboards

Mob-bine Report

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Esperanza Escalante-Amador
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Omg the amount of people gives me chills after coronavirus. How are we ever going to get back to normal?

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#14

Lost Buildings From Villages In The Pacific Northwest, Late 1800s

Lost Buildings From Villages In The Pacific Northwest, Late 1800s

Giraffeikorn Report

#15

Bowhead House, Edinburgh, Scotland. Built In The Early 1500s, It Was Demolished In 1878. Many Locals Mourned The Loss, Having Regarded The House As One Of The Most Distinctive Relics Of The Old City

Bowhead House, Edinburgh, Scotland. Built In The Early 1500s, It Was Demolished In 1878. Many Locals Mourned The Loss, Having Regarded The House As One Of The Most Distinctive Relics Of The Old City

archineering Report

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Marion
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nevertheless, Edinburgh still has beautiful very old buildings to look at, worth a visit!

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These architectural historians are people of many, many talents. They have to know a bit about a wide range of subjects, ranging from architecture and history (obviously) to archaeology, art history, engineering, sustainability, and building design.

Studying architectural trends and styles, placing building innovations into their proper context, and determining how everything changes over time and in different geographical locations are all an architectural historian’s bread and butter.

After all, the way in which buildings are built, what materials are used, what the aesthetics are, and how quickly they’re replaced by different styles altogether can tell us a lot about the particular time period, as well as the mentality and philosophy of the locals.

#16

I Took An 1898 Edition Of The California Architect And Building News And Found As Many Of The Houses In San Francisco As I Could On Google Maps

I Took An 1898 Edition Of The California Architect And Building News And Found As Many Of The Houses In San Francisco As I Could On Google Maps

viktor72 Report

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Erin Skinner
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The original way the house was built was much more beautiful than the "upgrade"

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#17

The Original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel In NYC, Demolished In 1929 To Serve As The Site For The Empire State Building

The Original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel In NYC, Demolished In 1929 To Serve As The Site For The Empire State Building

bunboog Report

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#18

The Old Dutch House In Bristol, England. It Was Constructed In 1676 But Was Destroyed During The Bristol Blitz Of 1940 By The Luftwaffe

The Old Dutch House In Bristol, England. It Was Constructed In 1676 But Was Destroyed During The Bristol Blitz Of 1940 By The Luftwaffe

ForwardGlove Report

The founder of the subreddit, Tom, currently lives in London and works as the editor of Dezeen. He got his master’s degrees in architectural history from both the University of Edinburgh, as well as The Bartlett. In other words, architecture and design are his lifeblood. And his passion is evident in the ‘Lost Architecture’ project.

#19

The Armenian Cemetery Of Julfa Had Around 10,000 Elaborate Funerary Monuments Called "Khachkars," Dating From The 9th To 17th Centuries. In 1998 And 2006 The Azerbaijani Government Destroyed Them All

The Armenian Cemetery Of Julfa Had Around 10,000 Elaborate Funerary Monuments Called "Khachkars," Dating From The 9th To 17th Centuries. In 1998 And 2006 The Azerbaijani Government Destroyed Them All

bush- Report

#20

Colored Photograph Of Dresden, Germany (1890) Before The Bombing Of 1945

Colored Photograph Of Dresden, Germany (1890) Before The Bombing Of 1945

mdelint Report

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Akalvin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This view is called "The Canaletto View". Dresden was in ruins after WW2 but it was rebuilt: Augustusbr...ac1c46.jpg Augustusbrcke-Dresden-mit-Canalettoblick-zur-Historischen-Innenstadt-60b490eac1c46.jpg

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#21

Petrikirche In Berlin | Built In 1853, Destroyed In 1945 By The Bombing Of Berlin

Petrikirche In Berlin | Built In 1853, Destroyed In 1945 By The Bombing Of Berlin

rasierterpopo Report

#22

The Hotel Netherland (NYC) Photographed In 1905 And Later Demolished In 1927

The Hotel Netherland (NYC) Photographed In 1905 And Later Demolished In 1927

Novusor Report

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Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And combined with another hotel to make the exclusive Sherry-Netherland. Did you know Louis Sherry was an immigrant who started out as a confectioner and caterer? You can still buy his chocolates.

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#23

Ludgate Hill, London. Late 1800’s. Bombed In Ww2 Replaced With Modern Architecture

Ludgate Hill, London. Late 1800’s. Bombed In Ww2 Replaced With Modern Architecture

Jacksbigleg Report

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#24

"UFO" McDonald's In Cambridgeshire, UK. (1990-2008)

"UFO" McDonald's In Cambridgeshire, UK. (1990-2008)

yellownugget12 Report

#25

Sibley Breaker, Pennsylvania, Built In 1886 And Destroyed By Fire In 1906

Sibley Breaker, Pennsylvania, Built In 1886 And Destroyed By Fire In 1906

archineering Report

#27

Izumo-Taisha Honden, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Though The True Appearance Of This Shrine Is Not Known, These Artistic Renderings Are Based On Archaeological Evidence Of Giant Pillars And Historic Records Stating That The Building Was Raised On A 48 Meter Tall Platform. Stood C. 900-1200

Izumo-Taisha Honden, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Though The True Appearance Of This Shrine Is Not Known, These Artistic Renderings Are Based On Archaeological Evidence Of Giant Pillars And Historic Records Stating That The Building Was Raised On A 48 Meter Tall Platform. Stood C. 900-1200

archineering Report

#28

Towers Of Bologna, Italy. Built In The 12th Century. Over Time They Were Demolished And Others Collapsed. Only 2 Remain Today

Towers Of Bologna, Italy. Built In The 12th Century. Over Time They Were Demolished And Others Collapsed. Only 2 Remain Today

BiggelsonWiggelson Report

#29

Imperial Palace At Constantinople, 12th Century

Imperial Palace At Constantinople, 12th Century

CountHonorius Report

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Mathew Aaberg
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Please stop the Istanbul/Constantinople war. The name Istanbul can be traced to the meaning "The city" so stop the petty bickering. Its like arguing over calling Paris Lutetia because that's what is was called several centuries ago.

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#30

The Royal Opera House In Valletta, Malta (1911). Built In 1866, It Was Destroyed In World War II From A Direct Hit By Luftwaffe Bombers

The Royal Opera House In Valletta, Malta (1911). Built In 1866, It Was Destroyed In World War II From A Direct Hit By Luftwaffe Bombers

gurdijak Report

#31

St. Nikolai Church / Hamburg (Germany), Gothic Revival, Tallest Construction In The World Until 1877, Bombed In Summer 1943 By Royal Air Force. The Ruins Continue To Serve As A Memorial For The Victims Of War And Nazi Terror

St. Nikolai Church / Hamburg (Germany), Gothic Revival, Tallest Construction In The World Until 1877, Bombed In Summer 1943 By Royal Air Force. The Ruins Continue To Serve As A Memorial For The Victims Of War And Nazi Terror

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#32

The Elisabeth Bridge Built In 1903 Budapest, Hungary. It Was The Longest Single-Span Bridge In The World At The Time And An Engineering Marvel. Following The Retreat Of German Forces From The City In Ww2, It Was Blown Up In The Morning Of January 18, 1945. Replaced In 1964 By A Modernist Bridge

The Elisabeth Bridge Built In 1903 Budapest, Hungary. It Was The Longest Single-Span Bridge In The World At The Time And An Engineering Marvel. Following The Retreat Of German Forces From The City In Ww2, It Was Blown Up In The Morning Of January 18, 1945. Replaced In 1964 By A Modernist Bridge

superdomodo Report

#33

Interior Of The Ss Normandie. 1935 -1942. Destroyed In An Accidental Fire During Refurbishment For Military Service

Interior Of The Ss Normandie. 1935 -1942. Destroyed In An Accidental Fire During Refurbishment For Military Service

CrotchWolf Report

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Sarah Foster
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Luckily, much of the beautiful Art Deco interiors still remain! Because it was being converted into a war ship, they removed a lot of the art and decoration and put it into storage before the fire broke out. The interiors are now in various museum collections such as the V&A in London.

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#34

St. Ludwig Monastery - Netherlands. Completely Demolished In 2015

St. Ludwig Monastery - Netherlands. Completely Demolished In 2015

mdelint Report

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Saint Thomas
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, but it was built in 1909, and it's not a very exceptionnal building. It wasn't anymore up to norms and safety standards. And its renovation would have cost far more than what its real architectural value was. I know it looks all fancy what with the bricks and turrets and all, but there are a lot of similar buildings across Northern Europe. Old (boarding) schools, monasteries, you name it. Yes, it would have been nice to renovate it. But I think it hardly is on the same level as other examples in this list, with building hundredS of years old demolished for stupid reasons.

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Note: this post originally had 122 images. It’s been shortened to the top 34 images based on user votes.