Is there a moment in history you wish you could experience? The world is full of beautiful old historical buildings that connect us to the past, but too many are lost to decay or thoughtless development. Restoration can give us glimpses into what they might have looked like decades or centuries ago.

The /r/Saved_Architecture subreddit collects architectural success stories. Their before-and-after photos document the work talented architects’ and tradesmen do to preserve architectural history. Some of the buildings are worn down by neglect and time, while others are revealed from beneath facades installed to hide their former beauty. The old buildings’ scars can even tell us stories - of wars, demographic changes, economic decline, or changing tastes.

Restoration is a difficult and subtle trade. Ancient materials or processes may no longer be available, and neither are the buildings’ plans. Architects may have to use old photographs or even first-hand historical accounts as clues to discover an old building’s design.

Whatever the case, we are lucky to witness these restored slices of the past. Scroll down to vote for your favorite saved architecture restorations or add one you’ve seen in your own town or city.

#1 The Bourse Of Antwerp (Antwerp Stock Exchange)- The World's First Purpose-Built Commodity Exchange. Built In 1531 And Restored In 2019

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#2 14th Century Building, Droitwich, UK. Built In 1320, Covered And Further Covered In The 18th, 19th And 20th Centuries. Restored And Saved In 2017

Image credits: danishhousemafia

There is an unfortunate trend for cities and their governments to misunderstand or ignore the value of their architectural heritage. This attitude was summed up at the University of Genoa’s conservation workshop:

“Valuable monuments, sites and landscapes are being threatened increasingly by largescale or uncontrolled developments of the built environment, not taking into account in any way their established and potential assets for the future development of that built environment. Is our architectural heritage becoming marginal or even irrelevant [...]? The answer is indeed no, if at least we manage to convince society – and its policy-makers – of these values of historical buildings, sites and landscapes;...”

Are there beautiful old buildings in your area that you think are at risk of crumbling to oblivion or being torn down for new development?

#3 Just A Quickly Reminder How A Decent Renovation Should Look Like(Warsaw, Poland)

Image credits: Synchronyme

#4 Deutsches Buchgewerbehaus In Leipzig/Germany - Built 1898-1901, Reconstructed In 2018

Image credits: pete_knightde

#5 Schofield Building, Cleveland, USA. Built In 1902, Facade Panelled Over In The 60s And Restored In 2017 To Its Original Design

Image credits: danishhousemafia

It’s one thing to design and build a modern building and quite another to renovate one built using historical designs, techniques and materials. The restoration of a building doesn’t just restore the building itself, it also helps to restore some of the traditional crafts and trades that went into that building’s creation.

Here are just a few of the unique trades that could be involved in the authentic restoration of a historical building:

• Thatching to create and maintain authentic rural roofing;
• Gilding to restore a glorious royal building;
• Carpentry to build strong structures and beautiful doors and windows;
• Blacksmithing to create structural supports and decorations;
• Stoneworking for everything from structural arches to sculptural ornamentation.

Some of these trades could be at risk of disappearing if not for heritage architecture conservation! You’ll also spot some of these tradespeople’s handiwork throughout this list, so keep scrolling.

#6 The Changing Face Of St Bartholomew-The-Great's Gatehouse In Smithfield, Which Was Built In 1595 And Some Point Bricked Over. It Was Bombed During A Ww1 Zeppelin Raid Knocking Off Some Bricks Revealing Its Tudor Half-Timbered Facade. It Was Restored To How It Looks Today. 1916 vs. Now

Image credits: Scraw16

#7 Old Leominster High School. Built In 1908 And Abandoned In 1986. It Was Bought And Renovated Over 2 Years To Be 32 Affordable Housing Units

Image credits: The_Angry_Fish

#8 La Samaritaine, A "Grand Magasin" Of Paris Is Going To Reopen After 15 Years Of Massive Restoration Work

Image credits: Hiro_Trevelyan

#9 The Old Manufactury Of Lodz, Poland

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#10 Elks Lodge Building In Marshall, Texas, USA. Built In 1912, It's Beautiful Facade Was Ruined Over The Years By Modifications, But It Was Lovingly Restored To It's Former Glory In 2013

Image credits: IhaveCripplingAngst

At the same time, shortages of the skilled trades required for conservation and restoration can make this a difficult and expensive endeavor. In an analysis of Malaysian conservation efforts, academics note: “Due to lack of conservation skills for the repair and maintenance of historic architecture, it was discovered that about 60% of conservation and maintenance of historic buildings are done by inexpert and inexperienced workers resulting in 50% of the problems that emerged thereafter (Kayan, 2003; Fidler, 2005). [...] [The] conservation of such historic buildings is discouraged by the lack of manpower to facilitate good maintenance.”

If you’ve been thinking about a career change, how about training as a stonemason, carpenter, or blacksmith? There’s a beautiful building out there that needs you!

#11 Green Gate, Gdańsk, Poland. Beautifully Restored Along With The Majority Of Gdańsk Old Town After Ww2

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#12 A Historic Building In Tbilisi, Georgia

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#13 The Restoration Of A Mansion In Astashova, Russia

Image credits: Rhinelander7

Despite the many risks and challenges, it’s clear that restoring heritage buildings provides us all with incalculable benefits. In many cities, national museums, train stations, marketplaces, and even old factories can transform into local hubs where people can marvel at the beauty of the past. What’s your favorite restored historic building where you live?

#14 Harlow Tower, Kent, UK. Built From 1785 To 1852 And Restored In 2011. 170 Ft Tall, A Great Example Of A Victorian Gothic Tower!

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#15 Hacienda Zotoluca, Built In 1710, Rebuilt In 2016

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#16 Laurietta Farmhouse, Fayette, Mississippi. Built In 1825 And Restored In 2014

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#17 The Pre-Columbian Pyramids In Teotihuacan, Mexico

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#18 Filipescu-Cesianu House, Bucharest, Romania, 1892

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#19 Versailles Royal Chapel, After 3 Years Of Restoration And 300,000 Golden Leafs

Image credits: Synchronyme

#20 Grand Hotel, Stockholm. Built In 1872, Original Facade Removed During The Mid 20th Century Before Being Restored In 2018!

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#21 Ramba Graduate Teacher's College, Porbandar, India

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#22 Villa "Anna" In Konstancin-Jeziorna Near Warsaw, Poland. Built In 1904 And Renovated In 2021

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#23 Post Office From 1884, Călărași, Romania

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#24 It's No English Manor, But I Really Appreciate How The Owners Of This Old 3-Decker On My Street In Worcester, Massachusetts Made An Effort To Restore It To It's Original Charm

Image credits: reddit.com

#25 Restoration Of The Konstantinovsky Palace. Photos 2000-2010. Saint Petersburg, Russia

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#26 Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Il. Built 1914, Abandoned 2002, Converted Into Hyatt Place/Hyatt House In 2018

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#27 1991 vs. Today, Eltz Manor, Vukovar, Croatia

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#28 The Byzantine Palace Of Mystras, Peloponnese, Greece

Image credits: AlbusTheWhiteMagus

#29 Kaiserstrasse 48 In Frankfurt/Germany - "Restored" (Because Not 100% Accurate) In 2013

Image credits: pete_knightde

#30 Eglantine House In Hillsborough, Northern Ireland

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#31 Restoration Of A Church In Podmoklovo, Russia

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#32 Philadelphia's Lost A Lot Of Architecture, But In The Last Few Years Some Real Gems Have Been Saved! 2014 vs. 2019

Image credits: whatthehellisplace

#33 Dresden Frauenkirche, Germany

Image credits: Synchronyme

#34 Mid-17th Century Raudondvaris Renaissance Castle In Lithuania (Only Ever Intended To Be Used Residentially Despite Its Colloquial Title Of "Castle"). In 1967–1975, It Was Saved From Ruination Along With Having Inauthentic Additions Of Later Eras Removed

Image credits: MAGNVS_DVX_LITVANIAE

#35 Schloss Brauchitschdorf (Pl: Pałac W Chróstniku), Built In 1728, Restored In 2009-2014. Chróstnik, Poland

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#36 A Victorian House In Rarden, Ohio, USA

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#37 The Entire Village Of Venzone In Italy Was Restored To It's Previous Appearance After A Massive Earthquake. Truly Inspiring!

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#38 Teters House, Riga, Latvia. Built In 1912 And Saved And Restored In 2015

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#39 A Gründerzeitgebeude In Leipzig, Saxony, Germany

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#40 James Scott Mansion In Detroit, Michigan, USA

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#41 Restoration Of The Palace In Tsaritsyno (Russia). The Palace Was Not Completed In The 18th Century, And Stood In Ruins, But At The Beginning Of The 21st Century, The Palace Was Built Completely In Accordance With The Project Of The 18th Century

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#42 Water Pumping Station, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, Built In 1909

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#43 19th Century Building In Kassel ,germany Has Its Original Facade Restored After Modernisation In The 1970s

Image credits: krpttr

#44 Hotel Cișmigiu, Bucharest, Romania | Arghir Culina | 1912

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#45 The Restoration Of A Kalmyk Buddhist Temple In The Astrakhan Region Of The Russian Federation

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#46 Buda Castle's Royal Riding Hall (Hungary): Before Ww2, After… And Since 2019

Image credits: Hypattie

#47 Elizavetino Manor Near St Petersburg, Russia

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#48 A Restored Lutheran Church In Zorkino, Russia. It Was Originally Used By The Volga Germans, Who Founded The Then Mostly German Town Of Zürich (Now Zorkino). The Inside Was Also Restored, Complete With Wooden Balconies And German Text Above The Altar

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#49 A Former Monastery And Chapel On One Of The Oldest Streets In Vilnius, Lithuania. Pictured From Top To Bottom Are: A Facade Scheme (1834), A Google Street View Screenshot (2012) And Ongoing Works (2020) Across The Rest Of The Massive Ensemble

Image credits: MAGNVS_DVX_LITVANIAE

#50 The 60s Overcladding Being Removed From A Building In San Antonio, USA

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#51 1917 Abandoned Foundry Recently Restored Into A Polyclinic In Genoa, Italy

Image credits: lorenzomiglie

#52 The Ransom Gillis House In Detroit, USA

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#53 The Šlechtovka Restaurant In Prague, Czechia

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#54 Andreas Gryphius Theatre In Głogów, Poland Was Badly Damaged During Ww2 But Restored This Year Back To Its Original State

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#55 Petrie Building, Gelph, Ontario, Canada. Built In 1882 And Restored In 2018

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#56 Saint Onofrio Chapel In Stronie Śląskie, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. Restored In 2014 And Reopened In 2015

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#57 A Renovated Building In Warsaw

Image credits: simmermayor

#58 Belgrade Cooperative, Serbia. Built As A Bank In 1882 And Restored Some Time Around 2009

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#59 Grand Moulins De Paris - Renovation Project (2021-2022)

Image credits: lorenzomiglie

#60 Mcdonogh #30 School (The Schoolhouse), New Orleans, La, USA, 1894

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#61 Kings Gate, Kaliningrad. Built In 1765, Redesigned By Friedrich August Stüler In 1865, Damaged During Ww2 And Restored In 2005!

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#62 The Butchers Guild Hall (Knochenhaueramtshaus), Hildesheim, Germany. First Built In 1529, Destroyed In 1945 And Rebuilt In 1989! Between 1945 And 1989, A Hotel Stood On Its Site

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#63 Castelinho Da Floresta, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Built In 1918. (Credit: @casasdebh)

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#64 More Pictures Of The Restored Building In Poland

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#65 A Soviet Era Gym Has Been Demolished To Reveal The Original Open Air Courtyard Of The Bernardine Monastery (1492-1502) In Kaunas, Lithuania

Image credits: MAGNVS_DVX_LITVANIAE

#66 The Old Town Of Frankfurt (Altstadt, Frankfurt Am Main), Germany. Destroyed During Ww2 And Completely Rebuilt In 2018

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#67 Bansilalpet Stepwell In Hyderabad, India

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#68 Sutherland Chambers, Stoke, England. Built In 1899, Saved And Restored In 2019

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#69 Wachusett Mountain Superintendents House Now A Bakery And Store Built In 1903

Image credits: The_Angry_Fish

#70 Metropolitan Building, Detroit, USA. Gothic Revival Building Designed By Weston & Ellington, Built In 1925 And Restored In 2018!

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#71 Taken 117 Years Apart. The Tree Is Still There (Riedlingen, Germany)

Image credits: reddit.com

#72 Chateau Ropice, Ropice, Czech Republic. Restored In 2017 (The Plaster Was Painted Put Couldn’t Find A Picture )

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#73 The Fortune Block - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Built 1883, Restored 2018

Image credits: joshlemer

#74 The Ancient Hippodrome In Magnesia, Greece, Before And After Excavation

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#75 Historic Buildings On The Silbersteinstraße In Neukölln, Berlin Restored To Their Former Glory

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#76 Neeruti Manor,estonia. First Mentioned In 1412 With The Current Stone Manor Built And The End Of The 19th Century. Restored In 2017

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#77 A Restored Manor House In Russia

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#78 Restoration Of A 800 Year Old Waterway In Utrecht, Netherlands

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#79 Hotel At Lapa In Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#80 The Stadium Of Aphrodisias In Western Anatolia, Present-Day Turkey, Before And After Excavation

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#81 Restoration Of A Church In Balovnevo, Russia

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#82 House Of The Hungarian Millennium. Budapest, Hungary

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#83 Les Magasins Généraux, Pantin, France. Built 1931, Refurbished 2016

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#84 Crosspost From R/Europe

Image credits: lorenzomiglie

#85 Ministry Of Justice (Magyarország Igazságügyi Minisztere) ,budapest, Hungary. Restored In 2014, Directly Opposite To The Hungarian Parliament Building!

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#86 Renovated Traditional Korean House

Image credits: simmermayor

#87 Museum Of The 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics In Sarajevo, Bosnia And Hertsegovina

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#88 Royal Guard Building, Buda Castle, Budapest. Demolished By The Communist Government But Rebuilt This Year

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#89 Palacio Cueto In Havana, Cuba

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#90 Restoration At James Scott's Abandoned Detroit Mansion

Image credits: Scraw16

#91 345 Queen East Street, Toronto, Canada. Built In 1907 And Restored In 2017

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#92 Hunyadi Square Market Hall. Budapest, Hungary

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#93 A Building In Montreal, Canada

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#94 Old Salem Jail, Built In 1813, Greatly Remodelled In 1885 And Then Restored In 2009 To Be Used As Apartments

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#95 Respublikos G. 53, Telšiai, Lithuania | P. Ester Šmerkovičienė | 1895

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#96 Kulikiewicz House In Warsaw, Poland. Built In 1829 And Restored Recently

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#97 4 Castle Street, Dublin, Ireland. Saved From Demolition In 1996and Then Restored In 1999 By The Dublin Civic Trust

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#98 Washington Dc

Image credits: Synchronyme

#99 Collar Factory Lofts, Troy, NY. Built In 1898, Abandoned Late 80s. Converted 2018

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#100 Eglantine House, Hillsborough, Northern Ireland. Built In 1800, Burnt Down In 1990 And Restored In 2018

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#101 Point Counterpoint II, A Floating Concert Hall Designed By Renowned Architect Louis Kahn For The American Wind Symphony Orchestra, Has Found A Permanent Home In Philadelphia, Saving It From Scrap

Image credits: Imipolex42

#102 Kosmos-Haus In Leipzig/Germany - Reconstructed With A Modern Roof In 2016

Image credits: pete_knightde

#103 Boyle Hotel, La, USA. Built In 1889 And Fully Restored In 2012 To Be Used As Apartments

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#104 Machu Picchu, Peru, Before And After The Removal Of Overgrowth

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#105 Gulfport-Harrison County Public Library, Gulfport, Ms, USA | Charles L. Proffer | 1966

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#106 Hotel Palas, Bucharest, Romania | 1922

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#107 Built In The Late 19th Century In Reykjavík, Iceland, The Zimsen House Was In The Way Of A Large Construction Project Back In 2008. Instead Of Being Demolished, The House Was Moved To Another Part Of Reykjavík Centrum And Restored, Where It Still Stands Today

Image credits: Thorhallur_Bjornsson

#108 A 17th Century Building In Québec Restored To Its Original Look

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#109 Narkomfin Building, 1929 Constructivist Landmark Restored To Its Original Appearance

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#110 Restoration In The Old Town Of Vlore, Albania

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#111 Grand Masonic Temple Monrovia, Liberia: Heavily Damaged During The Liberian Civil War, Renovated In 2018

Image credits: jewish_tricks

#112 Renovated/Saved Apartment Building In Leipzig / Germany

Image credits: pete_knightde

#113 Grand Amry Of The Republic Building, Detroit. Built 1866 And Restored As A Restaurant In 2014

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#114 A Georgian Terrace Merchants House At 18 Ormond Quay Upper, Dublin, Ireland Restored By The Dublin Civic Trust In 2018

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#115 The Former Ljubljana Sugar Mill In Ljubljana, Slovenia

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#116 It's The Simple Things, That Make A Huge Difference. Toronto, Canada

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#117 The Temple Of Dendur, On The Banks Of The Nile River In Egypt Around 1870, And At The Metropolitan Museum Of Art In New York In 2023. (Saved From Dam Flooding)

Image credits: Scraw16

#118 Restoration Of The Temple In The Village Of Shkin, Russia

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#119 The Restoration Of The Estonian St John's Church In St Petersburg, Russia (Peterburi Jaani Kirik). Built 1859-60. Nationalised In 1930 By The Communist Authorities, Then Underwent Many Changes, Restored For Use As A Lutheran Estonian Church And Concert Hall From 2009-2011

Image credits: Rhinelander7

#120 Majestic Theatre, Darlington, United Kingdom. Built In 1932, Covered During The 60s And Restored In 2014

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#121 The Town Hall Of Ayer, Ma Was Going To Be Torn Down, But A Group Got Together To Save It

Image credits: immaculacy

#122 Osaka Shōsen Kabushiki-Gaisha Branch In Taipei, Taiwan. Being Restored After Some 60 Years

Image credits: rayshih715

#123 Eddystone Hotel, Detroit, Mi, USA | Louis Kamper | 1924

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#124 5716 Michigan Avenue, Restored And Saved In 2011

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#125 Aurel Vlaicu International Airport, Bucharest, Romania, 1952

Image credits: Logical_Yak_224

#126 Book Tower, Detroit Mi (1916-26) Before And After Some Major Cleaning

Image credits: CrotchWolf

#127 Hunyadi Square Market Hall, Budapest

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#128 Bonstelle Theatre, Detroit. Designed By Albert Kahn And Built In 1902 As A Synagogue. Set To Be Saved And Restored As Part Of A New Hotel!

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#129 "Castle" Marienthal, Pavlovsk, Russia. The 18th Century Building Was Restored By A Local Businessman And Is Used As A Hotel

Image credits: danishhousemafia

#130 James Scott Mansion, Detroit Mi. Built In 1887, Abandond In 1975, Rebuilt And Restored In 2016

Image credits: CrotchWolf