New York City's skyline is as complex, diverse and changing as the population that inhabits its buildings day in and day out.
Transitioning from a more bare landscape in the 1910s to a cosmopolitan model for the rest of the world via the 1930s race for the tallest skyscraper to its devastating destruction of the Twin Towers in the 2001, Lower Manhattan’s ever-evolving skyline reveals much about New York City’s history.
The concrete jungle’s prominent and picturesque skylines have altered much throughout the course of the city’s history, offering millions of spectators insights into decades of architectural daring and traumatic events. Here is a selection of images from the late 1800s to 2008, which highlights the city’s evolution through its skyline:
