21 beautiful old buildings that no longer exist

The most iconic hotels, businesses, theaters, and private homes

Historically stunning architectural gems
The world's skylines are constantly changing. Some of the most historically stunning architectural gems are now gone forever, thanks to new constructions, natural disasters, and political conflicts. While some were rebuilt or changed location, others are now only memories of the past. We've put together a collection of breathtaking buildings that were once marveled at for their design and role in society. Click through to see some of the most iconic hotels, businesses, theaters, and private homes.

The Hippodrome stood on 6th Avenue in New York City from 1905 to 1939. It was one of the largest theaters of its time, with a seating capacity of over 5,000.

The Sutra Baths were a large, privately owned swimming complex in San Francisco. A fire destroyed most of the baths in 1966, but the remaining were preserved as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

The Birmingham Terminal Station, in Birmingham, Alabama, was completed in 1909 and stood as a principal railway station for the city until it was demolished in 1969.

The Old Metropolitan Opera House was built in 1883 in New York City. First home of the Metropolitan Opera Company, it was demolished in 1967, and performances were moved to Lincoln Center.

London's Royal Panopticon of Science and Art opened in 1954. It closed two years later, re-opening as the Alhambra Theatre before finally becoming the Odeon Leicester Square.

The Y?ngmy?ng Temple was the largest Buddhist center in Pyongyang, North Korea, before it was destroyed in the Korean War.

New York's original Penn Station was built in 1910. It was sold and demolished to make room for a larger rail station and Madison Square Garden.

The Crystal Palace was a huge glass and iron structure built in London's Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition held there in 1851. The building had two huge towers and many impressive fountains, but it faced several fires, including one that mostly destroyed the structure in 1936.

Chorley Park was the fourth Government House constructed in the early 20th century in Toronto. The birthplace of Toronto alderman John Hallam, it was bought by the city in 1960 and eventually demolished in 1961.

The Vanderbilt family built a number of mansions in New York City in the 1880s. The home pictured here belonged to Cornelius Vanderbilt II. It was the largest private residence ever constructed in Manhattan.

The Paleis voor Volksvlijt was a large palace built of wrought iron and glass in Amsterdam. It served as the center of the city's entertainment scene until it was destroyed by a fire in 1929.

Detroit's old City Hall opened in 1871 and included three stories, an observation deck, and a large clock tower. It was demolished in 1961.

The original Waldorf Astoria Hotel opened in the 1890s, combining the Astor and Waldorf Hotels. It was destroyed in 1929, and the hotel moved to its new location in the city, where it still stands today.

The Schiller Theater Building (later known as the Garrick Theater) was built in Chicago in 1891 and was one of the tallest buildings in the city at the time. Inside was a 1,300-seat theater, which was razed in 1961.

The Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal was a railroad station that opened in 1904 and had eleven floors. It was announced in 1953 that the terminal would be demolished to make way for the Gateway Center complex.

The Marlborough Hotel (built in 1902) and the Blenheim (built in 1906) were located in Atlantic City, New Jersey and hosted many notable guests, including Winston Churchill. They were demolished in 1979 to make room for casinos.

Steel magnate Charles Schwab built an ornate 75-room mansion on New York's Riverside Drive in 1905. It was publicly demolished in 1948.

The Chicago Federal Building had a stunning post office and courthouse. The building was demolished in 1965, when it was replaced with the Kluczynski Federal Building.

The Old Toronto Star Building was built in 1929 and stood at 288 feet tall, an impressive feat at the time. It was torn down in 1972.

The Singer Building in lower Manhattan served as the headquarters of the Singer Manufacturing Company and was completed in 1908. It was demolished 60 years later, in 1968.

The Royal Opera House of Valetta was a performing arts venue in Valletta, Malta, that was erected in the 1860s. It was destroyed during World War II when it received a direct hit from an aerial bomb.

Source

read more

more introsting news: