While many iconic landmarks have stood for centuries, photography is a relatively recent invention, emerging in the mid-1800s. Before that, these sites were immortalized through paintings, drawings, and writings, but with the advent of cameras, people were able to capture real-life images of the world’s most historic places for the first time. Imagine being the first person to photograph the Great Pyramids or the Eiffel Tower.
Thanks to early photographers like Horace Vernet and Frédéric Goupil-Fesquet, we now have a visual record of these famous structures. Here are 15 of the oldest known photos ever taken of some of the world’s most famous landmarks, offering a rare glimpse into the past.
Related: Here Are the Oldest Known Videos That Survived To This Day
