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 function 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 Google with many historical places
How not to be fascinated by the Middle Ages. Without being an expert on the subject, I am personally very fond of the many anecdotes around this period that was both dark and full of twists and turns. But what’s even more interesting is being able to imagine how people lived in the same place where we are, but hundreds of years ago.
But how to do it ? I knew you were going to ask me that, and don’t worry, I have the solution for you. Chances are you are familiar with Google Earth. This is a Google site presenting the globe in its entirety, and which can be moved as desired and zoomed in to precisely explore (almost) all places on Earth using satellite images. 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 the 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 old map which represents the state of the place at a certain time. For example, you can go to Cuba in 1775, to London in 1843, or to Tokyo in 1680. The choice is yours.
Each continent is taken into account, 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 map, it is possible to click on “Consult this map in the collection” to obtain further information on its history and that of the place and its time.
Our 3 best historical maps found on Google Earth
This kind of tool quickly becomes a wonderful waste of time, so satisfying is it 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 favorites.
- Tokyo 1680: more than 300 years in the past, Tokyo was already at a rather impressive state of development.
- Switzerland 1799: here, it is more a question 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 at its fair value.
- New York 1836: Far from being entirely covered in buildings as it is today, Manhattan Island looks nearly half-empty on this 187-year-old map.
