Comparative Image Analysis:

PARIS
The Saint Vincent de Paul Church (1800-1850):

The Saint Vincent de Paul Church is a church dedicated to Saint Vincent de Paul and is built on
the site of an old prison enclosure. The church is in the 10th arrondissement and was built in such
a way so people could come to the church in their horse drawn carriages. The horse drawn
carriages in this image are indicative of the mode of transportation during this period. Also, in
the 19th century, two of Paris’ busiest railway stations were constructed within the 10th
arrondissement. This probably led to an influx of people to that part of the city as individuals
were able to travel around Paris easier. Similarly, there was access to Canal Saint-Martin which
linked the 10th arrondissement to the Seine River.
Today, the church looks about the same as it did in the 1800s when looking up present day
images. Since it was initially built in the early nineteenth century, it has experienced a bombing,
during the Paris Commune, which probably led to some extensive damages. It has since been
restored to what looks like original condition, or close to it. The transportation system around the
city has greatly changed as well. The church is surrounded by major roads and boulevards. It is
also now close to the Eurostar and the two rail stations mentioned above. The area seems to also
have become a place with a sizeable social scene. Many bars, clubs, and restaurants have become
part of the landscape of Paris. Around the church, there is construction going on some of the
surrounding buildings as well.
After the Trip:
Going to the Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in person confirmed a lot of the research that
I had previously done on the locations: the exterior looks similar to how it was in the original
picture. The church is surrounded by major roads and boulevards, and a sizable social scene
among other things. Where in the original image there are horses with carts, there is now a busy
road with multiple crosswalks with highly trafficked roads around that. The church had people
resting on the stairs in both pictures which lends me to believe that it is still a social spot even if
it isn’t consistently used as a church. There are more people in the original picture from the
1800s-1850s than in the one from present day. This suggests that the area might have been more
popular before Paris became a city filled with tourism. Since the Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic
Church is off such major roads, there is also a lot of restaurants around the area, not any major
restaurants, but cute little places to eat none the less.
The church itself looks to have had some wear and tear as it doesn’t appear to be as clean as it
was in the first picture. Looking at the front of the Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, it
looks like it isn’t a church that has services every week. In comparison to the other older
churches we had seen throughout the week that still hold services, this one looked as if it hasn’t
had regular services in a little while. Similarly, the vegetation on the sides of the church’s stairs
don’t seem to be overgrown; however, they don’t seem to be as well maintained as they had been
in the original picture. This further suggests that the church might not be upheld as it once was.
The area that the church was in was not what I expected. From what I had looked at previously
and the area that I google mapped, I thought the area would have been a little nicer (even though
I originally said it looked as if it had been under construction). Paris is so highly regarded as this
amazing city and I honestly thought it would be cleaner and nicer. I think that when this picture
was initially taken the area might have been a nicer place, but as Paris became more of a tourist
destination as opposed to a normal city, the nicer parts of the city shifted to where tourism rates
have increased, such as over by the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the main parks and gardens, etc. I
also didn’t expect it to be in such a busy section of the city. While I am well aware cities are
busy everywhere, there are usually portions that are less so and more of a residential scene. That
was kind of what I was expecting the area surrounding the Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic
Church would be like. Overall, the structure itself looks very similar and the area has seemed to
maintain its hustle and bustle scene, but there has been some wear on both aspects.
 The Eiffel Tower (1889):

The Eiffel Tower was built in the 1880s in preparation for Paris hosting the World Fair. While it
was only supposed to stay for a certain number of years, instead, it has become synonymous with
Paris itself. The Eiffel Tower is part of the Champs de Mars, which is a park in the 7th
arrondissement. Towards the end of the 19th century, the Champs de Mars was reconstructed to
accommodate for the World Fairs that would be held there in the years to come. Overall the area
surrounding the Eiffel Tower around the time of this image was either constructed or redesigned
for the World Fair. The Champs de Mars has been an element of Paris for many years prior to the
Eiffel Tower being built and has only become a more important element of the city as time has
moved forward.
Today, the Eiffel Tower is what Paris is best known for. It is the most famous and visited
landmark in Paris. The Champs de Mars is a public park that allows for any and all activities; a
park for children, a place for picnics, a view of the Eiffel Tower, etc. Around the Champs de
Mars, there are quite a few streets/avenues that seem like they would see a fair amount of traffic.
Since the Eiffel Tower and Champs de Mars were quite important in the late 1880s, I would
suspect that these busy roads or ones similar were around back then as they are today. Looking at
the area around the Eiffel Tower on Google Maps, one can see many tour buses, lots of cars, and
people walking everywhere, suggesting that this area truly has become a staple of the city and
quite a popular location.
After the Trip:
After going to see the Eiffel Tower in person, it is clear why it is a staple of Parisian history and
culture. The tower is significant and can be seen from so many vantage points throughout the
city which only further suggests the tower’s importance. Someone said on the trip that seeing
Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower almost isn’t worth it because part of the fun of seeing the
skyline of Paris is to be able to see the Eiffel Tower somewhere in it and that to not have it there,
slightly defeats the purpose of trying to see the skyline. Specifically looking at the two images,
the dome shaped building that can be seen behind the tower in the initial image cannot be seen in
the recreated one. I tried to recreate the image on all four sides of the tower, but this domed
building was nowhere to be seen from any of the Eiffel Tower’s sides. My only idea for what
might have happened to it would be that the Place du Trocadero was damaged and then got
rebuilt. I will say that I don’t know much about the Place du Trocadero or its history, but that
would be my best guess. All this being said, there is a dome shaped building in the far
background of the recreated picture, but it is near impossible to see because it is further out than
the one in the original and thus is very small.
I was also blocked from going under the structure, probably for safety and security reasons. At
the time the picture was taken the Eiffel Tower was basically a decorative piece for the World
Fair that was to be taken down soon after. However, many years later, the Eiffel Tower has
become so important to Paris, their history, and their culture that the extra security measures are
understandable. The area surrounding it, as stated above, is surrounded by busy streets. The
streets are filled with cars, city buses, and tour buses, all taking people to see this grand tower.
Something that you can’t see in the picture is a small concert venue across the street which
seemed to be quite popular when passing it. In fact, I found the area around the Eiffel Tower to
be quite open as there weren’t many structures surrounding it and the only structures that were
there, were residential buildings on the far sides of the Champ de Mars.
The Champ de Mars was open and filled with street vendors trying to sell souvenirs or alcohol at
night, but when we went in the morning, it looked as if parts of it were closed off. It was
interesting to see this comparison, since I had heard from many people about how much fun they
had picnicking on it. Also, for how well known and talked about the Champ de Mars is, I
expected it to be bigger than it was. There isn’t much “new” around the Eiffel Tower since it is
known for being just what it is and there isn’t much one could add to a tower.
 The Louvre (1956):

To understand what the Louvre and the area surrounding it looked like during the 1950s, one
needs to understand what was going on in Paris a little under a decade prior. Beginning in the
1940s, Paris was feeling the pressure of Germany and an impending war, and thus, were taking
measures to protect their assets. This included protecting many of the valuable and high-end
pieces being displayed in the Louvre. Many of pieces were removed from the museum and hid
until the war ended in 1945. In general, it seems as if Paris took general measures to protect
themselves, such as streets not being as busy, stores not getting as much business, etc. during
WW2 as well.
Therefore, the Louvre was experiencing growth and a return to the mundane throughout the
1950s. It was trying to return to its prior prestige that it experienced at the end of the 19th
century. The areas surrounding the Louvre were probably also not as busy as they were after the
war, which only further shows how Paris was returning to normal. The art and statues they hid
started to return to the museum, where they were prominently displayed once more. As the art
continued to be returned, the Louvre slowly began to become the museum it is today.
Today, the Louvre is one of the most well-known museums in the world. It sees thousands, if not
tens of thousands, of visitors a day and has only expanded in size since the 1950s. It is home to
many famous pieces of art and various objects. Along with expanding the museums collections
of objects and art, the Louvre itself has expanded over the past few decades. The Louvre
Pyramid was constructed in the early 2000s and has greatly contributed to the museums’ total
attendance. Many new galleries within the museum have also opened displaying new pieces and
were the first of such galleries to open since the construction of the pyramid. As the museum
itself gained popularity, the areas surrounding the museum did as well. It became more trafficked
and filled with people.
After the Trip:
After visiting the Louvre, there was a lot that was the same and that confirmed my previous
research and there was also a lot that was new and was stuff that I was not expecting to see. I
would say the most obvious change would have to be the Louvre Pyramid that was added in the
early 2000s. Looking at the two photos it seems that the pyramid replaced a giant tree. As I
stated above when the museum expanded and built the pyramid, it brought in more people. This
held true when I saw it in person. I was also not expecting to be able to see through the bottom of
the pyramid through to the top. We went on a day that was really sunny and bright, so it was kind
of hard to see without being blinded by the sun, but it is an interesting concept none the less. I
also was not expecting the museum to be so massive and sprawling. It now makes sense why
people say it takes months to be able to truly see all the pieces and sculptures it has on display.
Not only was the museum crowded with people, but there were also people in the courtyard near
the pyramid. It is evident looking at the two pictures that there are more people in the recreated
photo than in the original photo. The whole area is incredibly trafficked as well as there are many
roads not only cutting through the Louvre’s courtyard area, but also on all sides of the museum. I
would think that since this picture was taken there has been more development around the
Louvre. The Louvre’s exterior does not seem to have drastically changed when looking at the
two photos. I wish it had not have been so bright so the detailing could have been seen better in
the new photos, but unfortunately that was not possible. The three main towers that can be seen
in the original image can also be seen in the recreated image, further suggesting that the exterior
hasn’t seen much change.
Even though it is on one end of the Champs Elysees, which has been a major part of Paris’s
culture and history, there seemed to be room to expand, especially when the museum started to
become the tourist attraction it is today. The original picture was taken in the mid-1950s, so there
has not been as many drastic and easily noticeable changes as in some of the other pictures I
chose. The only noticeable changes to note would be the modernization of various aspects of the
museum and its surroundings: modern cars, traffic-lights, better electricity, etc. Something else
you can observe in the recreated image would be the streetlight that is on the middle-right side of
the photo. This was not something that was in the original photo and serves to further illustrate
the modernization of the area. The buildings surrounding the Louvre are of the same style as the
others around the city, which suggests that this area was part of Napoleon’s renovation plans and
is a structure that has been a part of Paris for a long time.
 LONDON
Old London Bridge (1833):

In the 1830s, the London Bridge was in a transition period from the “Old” London Bridge to the
“New” London Bridge. The Old London Bridge which is what my picture is of was a stone
bridge with shops and housing occupying space on the bridge itself. The bridge is suggested to
be one of the first places where organized traffic developed in an effort to combat the congestion
of individuals crossing from one side to the other. After many years, the New London Bridge
was built leading to new roads connecting to the new bridge. In my picture you can see what
appears to be a tiny sailboat under the bridge sailing through the arches that were designed so
boats could sail through; you also see what appears to be another boat, but slightly darker
attempting to sail through the turbulent waters. While roads and infrastructure were slowly
becoming more usable during this period, using waterways as a means of transportation was still
a part of their present.
Looking at the bridge now, the London Bridge has been replaced twice. First in the 1830s as
mentioned above and then again in the 1960s to the 1970s due to one of the sides sinking lower
than the other. The area surrounding London Bridge as well as the bridge itself has become quite
built up and busy. The bridge is now heavily trafficked both with people and vehicles. There are
walkways on both sides of the bridge with at least two lanes separating the two sides. On each
side of the bridge are large major buildings such as the Southwark Cathedral and the London
Bridge Hospital on the one side and important historical monuments on the other. Moreover,
each side of London Bridge has access to Underground stations for easy transportation.
After the Trip:
After visiting the London Bridge in person, a lot of my research I did beforehand turned out to be
true. Since the bridge has been rebuilt a number of times since the time of the original picture, I
knew it wouldn’t look exactly the same as it did in the original picture. It does look like the
London Bridge has been rebuilt in a way that pays respect to the original London Bridge.
Looking at the original picture in more detail, it is clear that the area was highly trafficked during
its time as the tops of many structures can be seen on the bridge. While the bridge was originally
used as a shopping and residential area, the bridge is now used as a walking/driving bridge. Even
though the method of transportation and the usage of the bridge has changed over the past 150+
years, the bridge clearly remains a highly trafficked spot.
Looking at the buildings in the background of the two photos, one can tell that the buildings have
become more modern office type buildings in replace of the older buildings in the original. When
trying to recreate this photo, I was trying to see where the buildings in the original picture were,
but I was unable to find them. If I were to take a guess on what happened to those buildings, I
would say that the buildings were either destroyed by the Great Fire or rebuilt since the time of
the original picture. My other idea is that as this section of London has become more modern and
filled with office buildings, the older buildings were torn down to make space for these
buildings. This demonstrates what I have previously explained in my initial research about the
bridge being surrounded on both sides by more modern office-like buildings as well as popular
tourist locations (museums, cathedrals, etc.).
London Bridge has easy access to Underground stations and walking paths on both sides of the
River Thames. This makes it easy to enjoy walks along the river while also allowing for easier
access to many of London’s top attractions. On both sides of the river where there are walking
paths, now are built up with walls on both sides to prevent the river from flooding these paths
and the streets as well. This seems to be different from the original picture where there doesn’t
seem to be any edges to the river. This is probably because the edges of the River Thames
needed to be accessible so goods could be easily delivered by boat, which was a primary form of
transportation during that time. The bridge also provides great views of the Tower Bridge down
the river and other attractions the River Thames has to offer. It was also a beautiful vantage point
because it allowed for me to see the more modern elements that are high in the sky mixed with
the older more historic buildings down below. Exploring the area around the bridge showed that
the area was quite a social scene. There were lots of bars and restaurants in the older buildings
and there were even areas that were hidden from the immediate street view that had even more.
These were things I would not have been able to notice had I not gone exploring around the area.
 Cheapside (1880):

In the 1880s, contrary to popular belief, Cheapside was not indicative of “low prices” or low
anything for that matter but was in fact a highly visited produce market because back then, cheap
meant “market.” As evidenced in the picture, Cheapside was a very popular market place. The
street looks packed with horse drawn carriages and people, so much so that one can barely see
the street itself or the bottom floor of the buildings along the street. Cheapside was not only
popular amongst the locals that bought produce there, but it was typically a stopping place for
royal guests.
Analyzing Cheapside today, it has become a combination of modern buildings and attempts to
recreate the historic look of previous buildings that were damaged during the Blitz. These
buildings are occupied by offices and various retail establishments, which has decreased it
popularity and importance in comparison to its past. Similar to its past, the area is still a growing
(slightly and slowly) marketplace. It is beginning to look more modern than historical as well. If
one strolls along the street, there are built up stores as well as franchises that are popular
everywhere. The buildings these stores are in have lots of glass/window exteriors which are very
indicative of modern styling. Today, there is a lot of cars driving through Cheapside with little
street parking. This is very different from before where individuals could park their horse and
carriage anywhere and do their shopping and then leave. Overall, definitely a more modern and
less busy area than in the 1880s.
After the Trip:
After visiting Cheapside for myself, the changes that the area has gone through became very
apparent. The most obvious change that the area has gone through would have to be going
through a complete modernization from when the original picture was taken to when I recreated
the picture. Looking closely at the exterior of the buildings in both pictures, it is clear that many
of them have been rebuilt to fit with the more modern feel of the street now. The original picture
also had horses and carts in it, where the area now is frequently trafficked by buses and cars.
Furthermore, there is also easy access to Cheapside from a nearby underground station near
where the recreated picture was taken. However, through all the modernization, there is an
obvious element that is the same in both pictures. The old tower in the upper right corner is still
standing in both of the pictures. It would have been nice to be able to have gotten a better angle
of my picture, but to do this I would have had to stand in the middle of some very busy streets
and would also have had to figure out how to get up a couple floors to take the photo at the
correct angle. It was also quite sunny again, which led to many of the buildings and even the
tower not photographing clearly. Many of the buildings are all windows or have a glass exterior,
so the sun reflects off of them and creates a slight shiny effect in the picture. (The picture is a
zoomed in and edited version of one I took so the elements can be seen clearer.)
The area has also maintained its popularity over the years. When Cheapside was a popular
market, there were people shopping there all the time. As evidenced in the original picture, the
entire street is filled with vendors, shoppers, and people in general. You can barely see the
ground in the original picture there are so many people. Moreover, as previously discussed, the
area was not only a popular market, but was also a well-known spot for royal guests to visit on
their way into town. It is clear why that is when looking at the location of the street in London.
Today, while it is mostly home to offices and retail space, Cheapside is a major street itself. It is
also off other major streets and is down the street from St. Paul’s Cathedral, which only adds to
the street’s popularity. Since it is in what seems to be a popular business district, the area sees
daily traffic from these businessmen and businesswomen. A major reason why the street seemed
extra busy in original picture is that a lot of the business that occurred on Cheapside happened in
the street and not in the buildings on either side of the street. The street today does not have that
same level of business occurring in the street, but instead has most, if not all, of the business
dealings happening inside the buildings on the sides of the street. This makes the street seem less
popular than in the original image, even though, in reality, the way business is conducted and the
type of business being done has simply changed as the city did.
 Piccadilly Circus (1970):

Piccadilly Circus seems to have always been a highly trafficked and popular place since it was
created in 1819. It has been becoming increasingly more modern for multiple decades and from
looking at pictures has parts that have become similar to a scaled down version of New York
City’s Times Square. Beginning in the 1960s and moving into the 1970s there was a desire to
redesign Piccadilly Circus to allow for there to be more traffic and a better flow with that
additional traffic. This need to redevelop is indicative of how heavily trafficked this area is in
London. It has been home to many shops and theaters and a whole bunch of other tourist
attractions that have steadily led to it becoming even more popular today.
Looking at the area today, as stated above, parts of it remind me of Times Square in New York
City. Where my picture is taken, the illuminated signs of the Circus are not visible, but they are
behind the photographer and span a large portion of the exterior of the building they are on.
Since the picture was taken in the 1970s, there hasn’t been as many drastic changes as there has
been in some of my other pictures. There are cars in the picture and while cars today look a little
different, they still drive on that same street. As technology has improved and the location itself
has become more of a tourist attraction, the area is more congested and trafficked. It also seems
that the original buildings in the picture are the ones that are still standing today.
After the Trip:
After seeing Piccadilly Circus in person, I would say that it could truly be classified as a circus.
It was complete craziness. I had originally written that I had expected the area to look similar to
a scaled down version of New York City’s Times Square and after visiting it in person, I can say
that it truly does. It has many people, shops, and places to eat and all remind me of how Times
Square is somewhat set up. It also seemed to be a central place in London when looking at a map
as Times Square kind of is. Another reason it reminds me of Times Square is because of the
street performers that are performing in the middle near the fountain. In fact, these street
performers had a decent audience present that it was difficult to see the individuals that were
performing.
Piccadilly Circus was the busiest and craziest place we saw. There was so much going on that it
was difficult to experience all of it. In fact, it was even difficult to recreate this picture there were
so many people on every corner and so much traffic on the streets surrounding the area on all
sides. There were also lots of tourist souvenir shops on the corners of streets and the entrances
and exits to the Underground.
Since the original image was not taken that long ago, there has not been much that has changed
when discussing the buildings or the roads. However, there are changes that can be seen in the
style of motor vehicles and clothing style that the individuals in the two images are wearing. The
motor vehicles in the original image are very much so old timey cars and the people leaning up
against the fences/gates are dressed head to toe in fancier attire. In the recreated picture, the cars
that drive by are very modern cars and there are also lots of London’s city buses that drive
around the area as well. Since the area is a popular shopping spot especially amongst tourists, the
people that can be seen in this location are wearing just about anything. Some are wearing
business attire from their workdays; others are wearing normal everyday clothes. Some are
wearing jackets; others are wearing tank tops. There were also people of all races and ethnicities
in Piccadilly Circus.
Piccadilly Circus, as mentioned previously, is a big shopping location. In fact, on both sides of
many of the streets leading up to Piccadilly Circus itself had places to shop followed by more
places to shop followed by even more places to shop. There was a mix of local boutiques and
stores and big-name brand stores that are also present in the U.S. Piccadilly Circus experienced a
remodel in the 1970s, which seems to have paid off in the present. The amount of traffic that this
area sees because of the shops and for simply being the tourist attraction that it is, in my opinion,
justifies the money that was put into it to make Piccadilly Circus a more functional area to visit.