Destroyed Collection (#57)

Cisterns of Carthage
Delenda est Carthago (Carthage must be destroyed) declared Roman statesman Cato the Elder, but these cisterns remain, impressive relics of the once-mighty city

Club Des Feuillants
A body of moderates splitting from the Jacobins to pursue a less extremist course, the Feuillants make their home in an old convent near the Tuileries (now destroyed)

Couthon at Lyon
Couthon is sent by the Convention to suppress the insurrection in Lyon : he takes the city, and orders aristocratic homes to be destroyed

Explosion at a rocket factory at Woolwich Arsenal. Rockets f
The explosion at a rocket factory at Woolwich Arsenal, as seen from Plumstead Marshes. The explosion occurred in the rocket storehouse, which was completely destroyed after the fire

Explosion at Regents Canal, a barge covered in petroleum and gun powder blew up as it passed underneath the bridge on the night of1st of October 1874

Clearing up after the explosion at Regents canal
Clearing up the debris after a massive explosion caused a bridge over the Regents Canal to blow up. A barge covered in petroleum

Indian Troopship Sunk
East Africa : a ship bringing Indian reinforcement troops to support the Allied campaign against the Italians is destroyed by the Italian navy in the Red Sea

Bow Bells 1850
Ringing the Bow Bells of St Mary-le-Bow church, Cheapside, London : they were destroyed in the Blitz but recast 1961 : to be born in their hearing makes you a true Cockney

Temple Destroyed
With the revocation of the Edit de Nantes, which promised religious toleration, French protestants are officially persecuted : their temple at Charenton is demolished

Camp at Jales
The counter-revolutionary movement in south France is also opposed to protestantism - the camp at Jales, organised by Saillans, is its focus, but is attacked and destroyed

Wladyslaw II of Poland
WLADYSLAW II First ruler of the Jagiello dynasty, duke of Lithuania, destroyed the Teutonic Knights at Tannenberg 1410, established Poland as a power

Banbury Cross 1950S
The Banbury Cross as described in the nursery rhyme Ride a Cock Horse. The original cross was destroyed by puritans in 1642. Date: 1950s

George Inn, Southwark
First referred to in 1554, when it was owned by Mr Collet, MP for Southwark. Destroyed in the great fire of 1676, rebuilt in about 1677

After Bombardment
Nevsky prospect after the bombardment of Leningrad

Crystal Palace Dog Show
The Kennel Clubs dog show is held in the magnificent hall of the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, tragically destroyed by fire in 1936

Tokyo Earthquake 1923
The citizens of Tokyo flee in terror as most of their city is destroyed by the Great Kanto earthquake : more than 140, 000 people will lose their lives as a result

Afghanistan Bamian Valle
Two monumental Buddhist figures, which regrettably will be destroyed by Islamic fanatics in the 21st century

Jonah at Nineveh
After his ordeal with the whale, Jonah reaches Nineveh and tells its people the city will be destroyed 40 days later, but they mend their ways and the city is spared

Germans Target Britain
A German map showing the targets for their bombers. The brown areas are mining districts, the stars ports, the circles factories : all must be destroyed !

Phaeton Destroyed
Borrowing his father Phoebus (the Sun)s chariot, Phaeton causes widespread destruction, and would have set the world on fire if Zeus had not hurled a thunderbolt to stop him

Jerusalem Destroyed
Jerusalem is besieged, taken, sacked and destroyed by the Romans led by Titus (later emperor)

Quang Tri - Destroyed
Quang Tri: Three Vietnamese soldiers rest, (one eating rice), among the rubble of their town which has been destroyed by Viet Cong attacks

Vietnam 1970S
Together with Vietnamese soldiers, Hubertus Kanus looks over the town of Quang Tri in Southern Vietnam, which has been destroyed by Viet Cong attacks

Damaged Building
South Vietnam, Quang Tri: one of the few houses which was not completely destroyed by the Viet Cong and in which the local command post was located

TIDAL WAVE, 1908
After the earthquake which destroyed Messina, Sicily, a tidal wave devastates the coast of South America !

KINGs THEATRE / PRE-1789
Kings Theatre, Haymarket - the original front which was destroyed by a fire in 1789 and re-built by John Nash

7 Wonders / Diana / Picart
Built by the Greeks, almost entirely from marble, in Ephesus, now part of Turkey. Destroyed by Herostratus in 356 BC in an attempt to immortalise his name

Saw Mill, Fort Anne
The saw-mill at Fort Ann Creek, New York state, was destroyed by general Burgoynes forces after they had defeated the rebels and taken the fort

Farming in Russia
Farmers resort to traditional sowing methods after farm machinery has been destroyed

Civilians Surviving
After the fighting has destroyed their home, surviving civilians try to rebuild their lives

German Tank Destroyed
The moment of destruction for a German tank

Southend Pier Destroyed
The mile-long pier at Southend-on-sea is severely damaged by heavy seas

Theatre / Classical / Roman
The theatres of Rome are destroyed because they are considered to have a corrupting influence on public morals

Russian Fleet Destroyed
The Tsar, convinced that his fleet will be burnt, prefers to set fire to it himself, in imitation of his predecessors heroic act in 1812

Ruins of colonial architecture destroyed by earthquake, Antigua, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Guatemala, Central America

Convento de San Agustin (San Agustin Church), destroyed by earthquake, Antigua, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Guatemala, Central America

burnt out forest near Fairbanks Alaska. The summer 0f 2004 was hot and dry leading to unprecedented forest fires which
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Demolishing council houses on the sink estate of Raffles in Carlisle Cumbria UK
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Rubbish on a beach on Majorca
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Litter on a beach in Majorca
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

A Sycamore Tree snapped by gale force winds near Ambleside Cumbria UK
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Demolishing old council houses on the Raffles Estate in Carlilse Cumbria UK
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Buildings destroyed by an extreme storm surge that hit Mallaig in January 2005
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

burnt out forest near Fairbanks Alaska. The summer 0f 2004 was hot and dry leading to unprecedented forest fires which
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Smoke hangs over burnt out forest near Fairbanks Alaska. The summer 0f 2004 was hot
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Happisburgh on the Norfolk Coast. This section of caost is the fastest eroding point in the uK
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

The lifeboat launching ramp destroyed at Happisburgh on the Norfolk Coast
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Waves crashing against the sea defences at Happisburgh on the Norfolk Coast
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

For sale as Licensed Images

Choose your image, Select your licence and Download the media

From Hogarth's Gin Lane to the demolished Tinsley cooling towers, destruction has left its mark throughout history. The haunting image of Newcastle Bridge in ruins takes us back to a time long gone, while The Redoutable at Trafalgar reminds us of the fierce battles fought on treacherous seas. As we gaze upon The Sinking of the Bismarck, we witness the power and devastation that war brings. But not all destruction is intentional; sometimes it is necessary for progress. The demolition of the iconic Tinsley cooling towers in Sheffield symbolizes a changing landscape and evolving times. Similarly, when flames engulfed Alexandria Library, centuries worth of knowledge turned into ashes. In contrast, destruction can also be an act of conquest or revenge. The King of Ashantis Palace at Kumasi met its demise in 1874 as colonial powers sought dominance over African territories. Likewise, Canterbury Cathedral Library suffered damage during WW2's Baedeker Blitz—a tragic loss for literature enthusiasts. Yet amidst chaos and ruin, resilience emerges. Just like the rebuilt Eddystone Lighthouse after its collapse in 1698 stood tall once again, humanity finds ways to rise from ashes and rebuild what was lost. And finally, there are those who bear witness to fictional destruction—The War of the Worlds transports us into a world where alien invasion threatens our very existence. Meanwhile, aboard Cutty Sark Clipper shipwrecked dreams lie shattered but serve as a reminder that even broken pieces hold stories within them. Whether caused by nature or human hands, destroyed landmarks carry tales untold—reminders that nothing lasts forever.