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.

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

#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

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)

#4 The Old Manufactury Of Lodz, Poland

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

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

#7 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

#8 A Historic Building In Tbilisi, Georgia

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

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

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 The Restoration Of A Mansion In Astashova, Russia

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

#13 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

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 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

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

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

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

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

#19 A Victorian House In Rarden, Ohio, USA

#20 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

#21 1991 vs. Today, Eltz Manor, Vukovar, Croatia

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

#23 The Pre-Columbian Pyramids In Teotihuacan, Mexico

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

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

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

#27 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

#28 Eglantine House In Hillsborough, Northern Ireland

#29 Restoration Of A Church In Podmoklovo, Russia

#30 Post Office From 1884, Călărași, Romania

#31 Dresden Frauenkirche, Germany

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

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

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

#35 A Gründerzeitgebeude In Leipzig, Saxony, Germany

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

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

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

#39 James Scott Mansion In Detroit, Michigan, USA

#40 The Byzantine Palace Of Mystras, Peloponnese, Greece

#41 Elizavetino Manor Near St Petersburg, Russia

#42 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

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

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

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

#46 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

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

#48 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

#49 1917 Abandoned Foundry Recently Restored Into A Polyclinic In Genoa, Italy

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