The Eiffel Tower in Paris was build exclusively for the 1989 World’s Fair and was supposed to be destructed a couple of years later. 120 years later it is still the highest building in Paris and the world’s most-visited paid monument.
Source: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/23838911
The Brandenburg Gate is the iconic landmark of Berlin, where a mere 20 years ago the Berlin Wall was located, separating Western from Eastern Germany. Only due to the help of David Hasselhoff, or “The Hoff” how the Germans call him, this monument of segregation could be teared down:
Brandenburg Gate by night
Source: http://fotowettbewerb.hispeed.ch/seo/photo/369192/berlin__brandenburger_tor/berlin.html