JuicyTalk
Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Captain America: Brave New WorldThere’s a good handful of real-life landmarks that have been destroyed by the Avengers. Since the origins of the MCU in 2008, collateral damage has always been an occupational hazard for saving the world. As such, some well-known monuments and real-life locations have often paid the price.
Serving as a big reason why the Sokovia Accords were signed by the United Nations, the Avengers and more superpowered encounters in the MCU have resulted in some pretty significant collateral damage. While many of these battles have taken place in fictitious locations and buildings like Stark/Avengers Tower paying the price, there have been plenty of real-life sites that have been damaged over the last 17 years as well. Keeping that in mind, here are some of the biggest real-life landmarks that have been destroyed or damaged in the MCU.
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Grand Central Station
The Avengers
2012’s Avengers features one of the biggest MCU battles with the most collateral damage. Ultimately, the newly assembled Aventers did their best to keep the Battle of New York and the invading Chitauri forces centralized around Stark Tower. However, there is a moment where Thor and Hulk take down one of the monstrous alien leviathans and send it crashing down into the neighboring Grand Central Station.
7
The Potomac River
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Coming from underwater bays in the Potomac river next to the fictitious former SHIELD headquarters known as the Triskelion, three brand-new helicarriers were sent up to eliminate all of Hydra’s enemies in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Thanks to Steve Rogers and his allies, all three helicarriers were instead made to fire on each other. The wreckage from all three crafts crashed down to litter the Potomac below, and footage of the damage was used during Captain America: Civil War, supporting calls for Sokovia Accords and greater oversight over enhanced individuals like the Avengers.
6
Vienna International Centre
Captain America: Civil War
During the meeting of various world leaders to sign and ratify the Sokovia Accords in Captain America: Civil War, Helmet Zemo bombed the Vienna International Centre in Austria as a means of framing Bucky Barnes. As such, the resulting explosion in the MCU killed 12 people in the building, including King T’Chaka of Wakanda. In real life, the VIC and its impressive architecture is indeed used by the United Nations for various summits and gatherings.
5
Washington Monument
Spider-Man: Homecoming/Captain America: Brave New World
During a field trip with his decathlon team in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, an unstable Chitauri core Ned Leeds was holding for Peter Parker exploded during a tour at the Washington Monument, resulting in major cracks at the top of the structure’s exterior and its elevator. Thankfully, Spider-Man was able to climb to the top and save his classmates before the elevator completely broke. Likewise, 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World saw Red Hulk damaging the top of the monument yet again while chasing Sam Wison’s Captain America from the White House. Apparently, the iconic structure just can’t catch a break in the MCU.
4
Tower Bridge in London
Spider-Man: Far From Home
In 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter Parker’s final confrontation with Mysterio takes place at the Tower Bridge in London. Not to be confused with the London Bridge, the Tower Bridge was where Mysterio intended to fully cement himself as an Avenger-level hero, using his legions of drones and illusion tech to make it seem like he was fighting a massive elemental monster. That said, the real-life London landmark still sustained significant damage during the resulting battle with Spider-Man.
3
Statue of Liberty
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Spider-Man definitely holds the record for having caused the most damage to landmarks in the MCU. In 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and his fellow variants played by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield had their final confrontation with all their villains at the Statue of Liberty. Covered with scaffolding with New York city’s intention of replacing Lady Liberty’s torch with her own Captain America shield, the resulting battle saw the scaffolding and shield being knocked off.
Additionally, there is a shot of the cosmic being Galactus standing next to the Statue of Liberty in Fantastic Four: First Steps. While just conjecture, perhaps the gigantic World Devourer may destroy this Lady Liberty from another universe when the movie releases later this year in 2025.
2
White House
Captain America: Brave New World
In 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World, President Ross transforms into the Red Hulk for the first time outside the White House. This was the result of secret gamma radiation in the bloodstream thanks to the manipulations of Samuel Sterns. As such, The White House becomes the first casualty in the Red Hulk’s rampage as Sam Wilson’s Captain America tries to keep the monstrous red rage monster away from civilians.
1
Hains Point Park
Captain America: Brave New World
Leading the Red Hulk away from the White House in Brave New World, Sam Wilson brings Ross to Hains Point past the Washington Monument, hoping that the cherry blossoms will help Ross calm down and remind him of the man he wants to be, calling back to the past when he would walk in this real life park with his daughter Betty. In real-life, the cherry blossoms were a gift to the US from Japan in 1912, and as such it’s rather unfortunate to see so many of them destroyed as a result of Captain America and Red Hulk’s showdown in the MCU.
Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters from Marvel Studios.
Captain America: Brave New World
4/10
- Release Date
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February 14, 2025
- Director
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Julius Onah
- Writers
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Dalan Musson, Malcolm Spellman
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