Amazing images of the world's greatest cities before they were cities
Wikipedia Commons
Like all living things, cities have lifespans.
Some, like Paris, are ancient — over 2,000 years old. Others are adolescent in comparison.
Here are the maps, paintings, and old-time photographs that show the journeys of our greatest cities.
Drake Baer contributed to an earlier version of this story.
Rio de Janeiro was founded by Portuguese colonists in 1565.
Wikimedia CommonsGuanabara Bay, the second largest bay in Brazil, was one of the main draws.
Wikimedia CommonsBy 1711, the city had grown.
Wikimedia CommonsSee the rest of the story at Business Insider