Layers of History

You don't have to dig too far to find history in some of the world's ancient cities.  I wish we in the United States would do better to remember this (with the exception of some US cities like New Orleans). Examples below (click on the images to enlarge).  Note that these examples only go back 200-300 years.  Obviously, for cities like Rome and Paris, you can find things much older.  How many people just walk (or drive) through areas that have seen history unfold without giving it a second thought?

Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere (Late 17th Century Engraving by G.B. Falda), Rome, Italy

Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere (Today)
My wife and I have been here a number of times. Very little has changed since the 17th century.

Place de la Révolution, Execution of Louis XVI (Jan. 21, 1793 - Engraving by Isidore Stanislas Helman), Paris France.

 

Place de la Révolution, aka Place de la Concorde (Today)
Compare the buildings in the background to the engraving above to put it in perspective.

Place de la Concorde, 2 (Today)