26 stunning photos that show how much city skylines have changed over the years

• Over the course of decades, some cities have completely transformed their skylines.
• New York City has long been known for its skyscrapers, and its skyline is still evolving.
• Dubai went from desert port to a thriving metropolis in just over twenty years.
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You can tell a lot about a city by looking at its skyline.

Over the decades, many cities have exploded in size and have introduced ambitious works of architecture to the world.

Two decades ago, Dubai was a relatively undeveloped city. Now it's filled with gleaming skyscrapers. And cities like Toronto look virtually unrecognizable compared to a century ago.

Here are 13 cities whose skylines look completely different, several decades later.

The permission to use some of these photos were obtained through RENTCafé.