Manhattan’s evolution over centuries captured via meticulous animation

From the homeland of the Lenape people to a small Dutch colony to a battlefield of the American Revolution to the global cultural capital it’s become today, the island of Manhattan has undergone extraordinary transformations over the past several centuries. Rendered in 3D animation and created without the use of AI, this video from the YouTube channel City 3D Timelapse chronicles how this island of around just 22.7 square miles has evolved. It captures the spread of the population in the industrial era and, more recently, the reshaping of its skyline as supertall skyscrapers have gone up in rapid succession. The result is an extraordinary feat in its own right, condensing the making of modern Manhattan, in great detail and from several angles, into just eight minutes. For more from City 3D Timelapse, watch this video on the evolution of Paris.

8 October 2026

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