News JVTech See the world as it was in the Middle Ages with this Google Maps map
You know Google Maps, but also Google Earth. But do you know that there is a hidden feature of Google Earth to observe the world at the time of the Middle Ages and we show you how to do it.
A world globe signed by Google with many historical sites
How not to be fascinated by the Middle Ages. Without being an expert on the subject, I am personally very happy with the many anecdotes surrounding this period, which was both dark and full of twists and turns. But what is even more interesting is to be able to imagine how people lived in the same place where we are, but hundreds of years ago.
But how does one do that? I knew you would ask me that, and don’t worry, I have the solution for you. You are probably familiar with Google Earth. This is a Google site that presents the globe in its entirety and can be moved at will and zoomed in to explore precisely (almost) any location on Earth using satellite imagery. A very practical solution for entertainment, but there is an option that you may not be aware of.
Directly integrated into the site, a section allows you to navigate through the ages. Simply by choosing a point on Earth from this link (among those available), you will see that an entire area of the world is now covered by the reproduction of an ancient map which represents the state of the place at a particular time. For example, you can go to Cuba in 1775, to London in 1843 or to Tokyo in 1680. The choice is yours.
Every continent is considered, with just over a hundred dots scattered across this little digital globe. Some markers hide a map of the entire country, others only a city or a specific area. For each card, it is possible to click on “Consult this card in the collection” to get more information about its history and the place and its time.
Our 3 best historical maps found on Google Earth
This kind of tool becomes fast wonderful waste of time it is so satisfying to imagine life in a city you know well, but in a completely different era. Of all the places covered by Google, here are our three favourites.
- Tokyo 1680: more than 300 years ago, Tokyo was already in a rather impressive development.
- Switzerland 1799: here it is more a matter of praising the precision of the drawing representing the Swiss Alps. If you are a fan of the subject, you should know how to appreciate this for its fair value.
- New York 1836: Far from being completely covered in buildings as it is today, Manhattan Island looks almost half-empty on this 187-year-old map.
