The official blog for Google Maps
Mapping Brazilian islands, above ground and under the sea
March 17, 2015
Few people have set foot on the islands of
Fernando de Noronha
and
Atol das Rocas
, but now you can visit them from the comfort of your couch. Google Maps’ latest Street View imagery takes you through both
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
, widely considered to be amongst Brazil’s most coveted destinations. This Street View journey not only takes you across golden beaches and around towering cliffs, but also deep into the ocean for Brazil’s first underwater Street View collection. With help from the
Googler Trekker
, a backpack equipped with a 15-lens camera, and our partners at
Catlin Seaview Survey
, these images offer an immersive picture of two areas Brazil is striving to preserve.
Our first stop is Fernando de Noronha, a group of islands known for their natural beauty and ecotourism, and a prized destination in Brazil. Tourists, only permitted on the island in limited groups due to conservation efforts, often seek out the archipelago’s stunning beaches.
A trip to
Fernando de Noronha
may begin with a stop at
Cacimba do Padre
. This beautiful beach is known worldwide for its incredible surfing and gorgeous sunsets.
Cacimba do Padre
If the sand isn’t for you, make your way toward
Baía dos Porcos
. This small stretch of land is known for its spectacular views of “Dois Irmãos,” two grand rock formations triumphantly rising from the ocean.
Baía dos Porcos
Our next stop is
Atol das Rocas
, an atoll in the South Atlantic ocean used exclusively for scientific research. A pivotal breeding area for various animals, Atol das Rocas is home to 30 species of tropical seabirds. While you won’t be able to come here as a tourist, virtual visits are highly encouraged!
Atol das Rocas
Ready for a swim? Dive into the Atlantic Ocean from the top of
Buraco do Inferno
. Also known as "The Devil’s Hole," this huge rock formation is a popular diving spot in Fernando de Noronha. At certain points in the day, its blow hole releases air and water in an eruptive display.
Buraco de Inferno
Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas are also sanctuaries for animals and marine wildlife precious to the regions, including dolphins, turtles, and a variety of fish. Schools of fish often traverse volcanic rock beneath the ocean’s surface at
Trinta Reis
.
Fish Swimming through Trinta Reis
These dolphins
, known as “spinner dolphins” due to their acrobatic modes of swimming, are making their way through shallow waters.
Dolphins Swimming through Canal da Sela Gineta
Alongside divers snapping pictures, you can swim with a large sea turtle moving with the ocean’s current.
Buraco das Cabras
To bring more island beaches to your living room, or continue your virtual scuba-dive, visit Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas on Street View, or check out our
gallery of highlights
!
Posted by Deanna Yick, Street View Program Manager
Growing up in the shadow of Everest
March 12, 2015
Apa Sherpa is a Sherpa mountaineer who holds the world record for reaching the summit of Mount Everest 21 times—more than any other person. In 2009, Apa founded the
Apa Sherpa Foundation
, a nonprofit that works to provide better educational and economic opportunities to the young people of the Khumbu region. In March 2014, Apa Sherpa,
Google Earth Outreach
, and the Nepalese nonprofit
Story Cycle
, embarked on a 10-day trek through the Khumbu region, supporting local people to enhance the digital representations of their communities on Google Maps. We hope the project will empower the Apa Sherpa Foundation, Story Cycle, other nonprofits, and Sherpa community members to tell their stories through Google Maps. -Ed.
I was born in 1960 in Thame, a small town in the Khumbu region of Nepal, which is home to
Mount Everest
, the world’s tallest peak. Even though I grew up in the shadow of the mountain, I dreamt of being a doctor instead of a climber. That dream was never realized. When I was 12, my father passed away, and I had to find work to support my family. So I began carrying goods up the mountain as part of an expedition team. At 30, a dream that had never been mine came true: I summited Everest for the first time as a porter.
Apa Sherpa on the summit of Everest with a memorial to Sir Edmund Hillary who passed away in 2008. Photo credit: Apa Sherpa Foundation
Our region is famous for being home to Everest, but it’s also the home of the
Sherpa community
and has been for centuries. The region has much more to offer than just the mountain. So last year, I guided the Google Maps team through my home region to collect Street View imagery that improves the map of our community. Now you can find
Thame
on the map and explore other communities nestled at the base of Everest, like
Khumjung
and
Phortse
.
Phortse Thakiri Chholing Gomba, Monastery, Nepal
Partnering with Google Maps allowed us to get important local landmarks on the map and share a richer view of Khumbu with the world, including local
monasteries
,
lodges
,
schools
and more, with
some yaks
along the way!
My hope is that when people see this imagery online, they’ll have a deeper understanding of the region and the Sherpa people that live there.
Phortse, Khumbu Region, Nepal
Map of Thame, Apa Sherpa’s hometown, before the Google Mapping project [above]
and
added locations [below]
When people ask what it feels like to reach the top of Mount Everest, I say “heaven.” But I haven’t summited the mountain 21 times because I love climbing. I earned this world record in pursuit of a greater goal: to provide a good education and a better, safer life for my kids.
My hope is that my children and future generations have many choices for employment outside of mountaineering.
Through the
Apa Sherpa Foundation
, I now work to improve educational access by funding the
Lower Secondary School
in my hometown to give children other options for their future, so they can pursue their dreams to be doctors
—or anything else they want to be
, like mine, so many years ago.
Your online trip to
my home awaits you
on Google Maps. And if you ever get the chance to visit the Khumbu region in person, come stay at the
Everest Summiteer Lodge
that I built with my own hands. We’ll be ready to
welcome you.
Namaste,
Apa Sherpa
Goin’ to the chapel this Valentine’s weekend
February 12, 2015
Thanks to the ease and low cost of acquiring a marriage license, Las Vegas is considered the
Marriage Capital of the World
. For many, Vegas weddings are a chance to be spontaneous and embrace the unexpected. This Valentine’s Day, we hope you’ll say yes… and visit
the chapels
that make Las Vegas famous with Street View in Google Maps.
From the regal
Classico Chapel in Caesars Palace
to the more simple
Las Vegas Love Chapel
, there’s a variety of places to say “I do.” You can take a seat at the locations of some of the world’s most remembered (for better or for worse) Vegas weddings. Want to know why Jon Bon Jovi and Jay Leno picked
Graceland Wedding Chapel
for one of the biggest days in their lives? Take a look:
Graceland Wedding Chapel
If your dream wedding involves walking down the aisle in a silk tuxedo to the tune of “Burning Love,” stop by
Planet Hollywood
(formerly
the Aladdin
) and relive the eight minutes it took for Elvis Presley and Priscilla to get married there. The original hotel is gone, but you can say your virtual vows at Planet Hollywood’s chapel. (And let’s not forget that in Vegas,
Elvis can marry you
—to your loved one, of course.)
Plant Hollywood's Wedding Chapel
Whether you're ready to take the marital plunge, walk down memory aisle, or just pique your curiosity,
this collection
is a fun celebration of romance—Vegas style.
Posted by Deanna Yick, Street View Program Manager
The aurora borealis lights up Google Maps
January 15, 2015
Nature’s greatest light show has come to Google Maps for the first time. Starting today, armchair arctic explorers, science lovers and curious observers will be able to explore the
Northern Lights
in Finland right from Google Maps.
Northern Lights, Finland
Also known as the aurora borealis (after Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn, and Boreas, the Greek name for north wind), these dazzling lights are the effect of charged particles interacting with one another in earth’s atmosphere. These light displays have long been a source of wonder for poets and travelers gazing up at the otherworldly colors in stark contrast with the austere, arctic terrain. However, they can only be seen in person at certain latitudes and times of year, making this breathtaking sight a rare experience for most of us.
To see more views of the Northern Lights, explore the
Google Maps gallery
. Click across the frozen lake in Finland where these shots were captured, and take in the awe-inspiring views above.
Posted by Magdalena Filak, Google Maps Street View Associate Program Manager
Explore the haunted corners of the world... if you dare
October 29, 2014
Something wicked this way comes
… Whether you’re a trio of
witches back from the dead
or just a trick-or-treater, chances are you’re hitting the streets (or riding a broom!) on Halloween night. For those looking for an extra fright, take a tour of spooky places from around the world on Google Maps.
Start in 19th century Paris. While cheery guests listen to the beautiful arias at the Opéra Garnier, a dreary lake lies beneath the streets. Floating above the silent water, a
phantom
lurks. Are your eyes playing tricks on you... or is that a cloaked figure looming in the shadows?
Opéra Garnier (Paris Opera), Paris, France
Standing at the steps of
Craigdarroch Castle
in Victoria, BC, you might believe you’ve found the perfect home away from home. Think again… listen closely for the sounds of a piano playing softly throughout the house. The spirit of a ghastly pianist is said to linger in the corridors and windows.
Craigdarroch Castle, Victoria, BC
If you’re feeling ill, the abandoned
Xinglin hospital
in Taiwan is
not
the place to go. For years, passersby have sighted now-deceased patients, both young and old, in the treacherous fourth- and fifth-floor windows. To this day, people claim to hear wailing in the night from inside the hospital’s haunted walls.
Xinglin hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
Not all spooky stories are made up. For three decades, the
Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary
was home to some 1,500 of the world’s most infamous prisoners. Surrounded by bone-chilling waters, “the Rock” was notorious as the toughest prison in America.
Alcatraz Island, California, USA
If these spooky spots whet your appetite for fear, get up close with some of the most frightful locations in Google Maps Gallery and find ghouls and goblins in
haunted houses
around the world. If you’re looking for a laugh instead of a scream, take a
hayride
through your local corn maze, find the perfect jack-o-lantern at your neighboring
pumpkin patch
, and scout the best
trick-or-treat
routes near you.
Now get your cauldrons bubbling and monsters mashing because after all,
this is Halloween
!
Posted by Susan Cadrecha, Google Maps Zombie Bride
Explore Gombe National Park through the eyes of Dr. Jane Goodall
October 21, 2014
In July 1960,
Dr. Jane Goodall
stepped off the boat in what is now
Gombe National Park, Tanzania
with a pair of second-hand binoculars and a notepad. She was 26 years old, and was there to observe and record the behavior of chimpanzees in the wild. This summer, after four planes and a boat ride, I took my first (wobbly) steps onto the shores of Lake Tanganyika. I was about to walk the same paths that Dr. Goodall took to do her groundbreaking research into the lives of chimpanzees. And now—thanks to a Google Maps partnership with the
Jane Goodall Institute
and
Tanzania National Parks
—so can you.
We were invited to Gombe National Park to capture a record of this historic place, where today the Jane Goodall Institute manages the longest-running chimpanzee research study in the world. It was here that Dr. Goodall first witnessed chimpanzees
fishing for termites
using a blade of grass as a tool to dig them out of their mounds. Using tools was an act previously believed to be unique to humans. Her observations revolutionized our understanding of chimpanzees—animals that share 98 percent of our DNA—and redefined the very notion of “human.” More than 50 years later, protecting chimpanzees and their habitat is central to the mission of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI).
View of Lake Tanganyika at The Peak, Gombe National Park, Tanzania
Pushing through the brush, carrying the Street View
Trekker
, we collected thousands of 360 degree images along the narrow paths of the park to share with the world. We first stopped at a location Jane calls “The Peak”—her favorite vantage point. I could imagine her looking out over the canopies, peering tirelessly through her binoculars, writing in her notebook, and observing these beautiful animals as they
swung through the trees
.
A chimpanzee named Gizmo in Gombe National Park
In the spirit of preservation, the Institute plans to use Gombe Street View as a unique archive of this special place, available to future generations of researchers. This imagery complements JGI’s current monitoring efforts using
satellite imagery and mapping
to protect 85 percent of the remaining chimpanzees in Africa. Young people will also be inspired to explore the wild through the 360 degree imagery as part of JGI’s educational program,
Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots
.
This Street View collection
is our small contribution to the already rich legacy of science and discovery at Gombe. Wherever you are, take a moment to experience what it’s like to be Jane for a day: peek into
her house
, take a dip in
Lake Tanganyika
, spot the
chimp named Google
and try to keep up with
Glitter and Gossamer
.
We hope you enjoy exploring this living laboratory for yourself!
Posted by Allie Lieber, Program Manager, Google Earth Outreach
Special thank you to Dr. Jane Goodall,
Dr. Lilian Pintea
,
Bill Wallauer
,
Dr. Anthony Collins
and many more members of the Jane Goodall Institute in the United States and Tanzania, as well as
TANAPA
, for all of the knowledge and time they contributed to this project.
Take your dream trip to Mexico with Google Maps
September 15, 2014
The famed author
Gabriel García Márquez
once said: "In Mexico, surrealism runs through the streets. Surrealism comes from the reality of Latin America.” So today, we invite you to embark on a dreamlike journey of more than 60 new sites that take you through
Mexico’s culture and geography
with Street View. These are places where ancient civilizations merge with modern-day structures and lush jungles, and where remote deserts and beaches stretch neverending towards the horizon.
No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you; the magic is real in places like
Holbox
, where big resorts and tourist traps seem to be a world away. You can leave your worries behind and
make new friends
while snorkeling the clear, blue waters.
Holbox, Quintana Roo
Mexico has a rich heritage of religion and tradition. Explore the country’s sacred sites, like the
Catedral de Merida
, one of the oldest cathedrals in North America, and the remains of the
Museo Ex Convento de Tepoztlán
, which was first built for the Dominican friars in 1555.
Museo Ex Convento de Tepoztlán
As we approach the end of our virtual tour, it’s a good time to take a look at the iconic monumental clock in
Pachuca, Hidalgo
. Close to Mexico City, this former mining town witnessed the country’s history from the pre-Hispanic empire to today’s modern republic.
Reloj Monumental, Pachuca, Hidalgo
This
imagery
from across Mexico is the latest of our
Street View Collections
, in which we capture the world’s natural, cultural and historic legacy for you to explore. Now pack your virtual
sandalias
, grab your digital sunglasses, and discover Mexico’s history with Street View on Google Maps!
Posted by
Ricardo Blanco
, Products Communications for Google in Latin America
Making of Maps: Ground Truth glue
September 9, 2014
The final post in our Making of Maps series shows you how Ground Truth brings all the pieces of Google Maps together. Catch up on posts
1
,
2
, &
3
for more info! — Ed.
Henman Hill
or
Murray Mound
? For years, British tennis fans have argued over the proper name for this hill near Wimbledon. Recently, this quirky
debate
over naming rights made its way to Google Maps, as people used our
Map Maker tool
to wrestle over the knoll’s identity. Never fear, tennis fans: whichever name you prefer, you’ll be sent to the right
location
when you look it up on Google Maps—let’s call it deuce.
Making sure you get to the right place, no matter what name you know it by, is just the sort of thing our Ground Truth team handles every day. Ground Truth’s aim is to keep Google Maps as up to date and accurate as possible, whether that means considering user reports from
Map Maker
and
Report a Problem
or proactively looking for new changes ourselves. Every day we start by scoping out what’s happening in the world—and by using algorithms and a little elbow grease, we can identify what roads will close for
Labor Day
, what housing developments are opening in
Texas
, and which street names are changing in Denmark (note: there are
a lot
of them). Ground Truth gives us the ability to use all this information to shape the map—so we can include colloquial street names, newly opened businesses, and even indoor floor plans.
All the streets in
Sondergarden, Denmark
were renamed this year as part of a country-wide
initiative
to make addresses easier to understand
Another way Ground Truth keeps Google Maps accurate is through imagery; and if a picture is worth a thousand words, you can imagine how useful satellite, aerial, and Street View imagery imagery can be. With a bird’s-eye view, we can trace the roads running through a town or identify bodies of water and park boundaries throughout a region. (One of my favorite projects is using satellite images to add
golf courses
to the map, including green spaces, trails, and each hole on the course.)
Satellite and aerial images are used to trace roads, bodies of water, and more (
St. Petersburg, Russia
)
With Street View, we can also add the granular detail needed to give you good directions. Intersections become easy to navigate because we can tell which direction each lane will take you; points of interest are easy to find because we can add information that can only be seen from the street, like the name of a restaurant or building address. Combine this with the fact that our Street View cars are designed to pinpoint exactly where each photo was taken, and the map starts to look like a mirror of the real world.
Street View images can help pinpoint businesses and determine lane directions (
Brașov, Romania
)
Ground Truth takes information from thousands of sources—governments, imagery, organizations, individuals—and makes it into one cohesive map. But the best part of putting together this giant puzzle is how it helps people every day. It can save you time, empower you to get things done, and give you the opportunity to travel and explore without worry. Reaching our
50th Ground Truth country
was an important moment for this project, but it’s far from the end. As long as the world keeps changing, we’ll keep mapping.
Posted by Nick Volmar, Program Manager & Ground Truth Operator
Making of Maps: The cornerstones
September 4, 2014
This is the second post in our
Making of Maps series
. Here you’ll get a glimpse of the information we use to build Google Maps from authoritative sources and our own mapping tools. —Ed.
With Google Maps by your side, you have a co-pilot for everything from turn-by-turn directions, to discovering new restaurants to deciding which hiking trails to climb next. This is possible in large part because Google Maps includes information from thousands of authoritative sources as varied as the
U.S. Geological Survey
, the
Ordnance Survey of Ireland
, and Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (
INEGI
). But even all this isn’t enough to build the most comprehensive map. To give you the highest quality results, we need to fill in details like the right place to turn on an unmarked road and indoor maps of your local museum.
Over the years, we’ve created new sources of information to fill in those details. In fact, one of the most important sources for Google Maps is our own Street View imagery. In addition to giving you a way to virtually explore the world, Street View has helped to improve the quality of what we call our “basemap.” With ground-level images, we can identify one-way roads, pinpoint addresses on the map, and verify street names. This added level of detail gives you better search results, more accurate directions, and smoother turn-by-turn navigation.
Adding and verifying street names and turn restrictions in
Taipei City, Taiwan
But Street View isn’t the only way we fill in details on Google Maps. Today, we’re releasing six indoor maps created with our new mapping tool called Cartographer. Cartographer is a backpack equipped with Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (
SLAM
) technology.
The Cartographer creates indoor floor plans on the fly
As the backpack-wearer walks through a building, SLAM technology generates the floor plan in real time and displays it on an Android tablet connected to the backpack’s computer. The wearer can then add points of interest on the go, such as a T-rex replica in a museum. As fast as you can walk, you can map with Cartographer—so you can create floor plans for a 39-story building, like the
San Francisco Marriott Marquis hotel
, in just a few hours!
Deutsches Museum
in Germany
features aircrafts and helicopters in historic hangars
Projects like these make Google Maps unique. Our own mapping tools supplement the information from authoritative sources, making it easier for you to get where you need to go.
But the world is big and changes happen every day—businesses open and close, roads go under construction, and new parks are built. You know your neighborhood and what’s important to your local community better than anyone, which is why we created a tool called Map Maker that empowers anyone—from the avid mapper to the traveling businesswoman—to update the map as the world changes. Next up, we’ll talk to members of the
Map Maker
community to hear their stories. Until next time!
Posted by Sophia Lin, Product Manager, Ground Truth
Visit the sets of this year’s Emmy Award nominees on Google Maps
August 21, 2014
Whether you’re into D.C. intrigue or Khaleesi’s conquests, chances are you’re watching the
Emmy Awards
on Monday. To get ready for the show, relive your favorite moments from this year’s
nominees
with Google Maps. Let’s take a peek at a highlight reel of some hot spots and scenes!
If you’re craving ribs after a
House of Cards
binge-watching session, head over to Frank Underwood’s favorite restaurant,
Freddy’s BBQ Rib Joint
, in Baltimore on Street View.
Street View of the filming location of
Freddy’s BBQ Joint
in
Netflix’s House of Cards
More in the mood for afternoon tea? Then visit
Highclere Castle
in North Wessex Downs, where PBS’ critically-acclaimed drama
Downton Abbey
is filmed.
Photo Sphere of
Highclere Castle
, North Wessex Downs, the filming location of PBS’
Downton Abbey
Tired of teaching high school chemistry like our friend Walter White from
AMC’s Breaking Bad
? Well, look no further, because we heard that Albuquerque’s
Los Pollos Hermanos
is hiring.
Street View of the filming location of
Los Pollos Hermanos
in
AMC’s Breaking Bad
Warlords, the Night’s Watch and royalty from all the Seven Kingdoms can agree that the scenery in
HBO’s Game of Thrones
seems like it’s from another world. Google Maps lets you fly over Marrakech to visit
Aït-Ben-Haddou
, the set of Yunkai, one of the cities conquered by the Mother of Dragons,
Daenerys Targaryen
.
Photo of
Aït-Ben-Haddou
, Marrakech, Morocco, filming location of Yunkai in
HBO’s Game of Thrones
Or if political intrigue is more your style, then you might be surprised to learn that
Olivia Pope and Associates
from
ABC’s Scandal
do their fixing at the Palace Theatre in downtown Los Angeles!
Street View of the filming location of
Olivia Pope and Associates
in
ABC’s Scandal
While we can’t get you a ticket to the awards, Google Maps can at least make you feel like an extra on the set of your favorite show. Happy (Street) viewing!
Posted by Susan Cadrecha, Google Maps and TV Fanatic
Explore the geysers and waterfalls of Iceland on Google Maps
August 20, 2014
In his book
Tales of Iceland
, Stephen Markley wrote, “The problem with driving around Iceland is that you’re basically confronted by a new soul-enriching, breath-taking, life-affirming natural sight every five... minutes. It’s totally exhausting.” We've never been ones to take someone else's word for it when it comes to sightseeing, so we took Street View to some of the most stunning locations throughout the country. As it turns out, Markley was right...and now with
Street View
, you can take a journey through Iceland to explore these beautiful places too.
We started with Iceland's "Golden Circle," a famous loop in the southern part of the country. Here’s a look at the famous
Gullfoss Waterfall
on the Hvítá river in the south west of the country. The average amount of water crashing over the falls can reach as much as 140 cubic meters/second at its summertime peak.
Gullfoss Waterfall on Street View
Then, we made the trek to what’s known locally as “Geysir,” or the
Haukadalur Geothermal Area
. Our cameras snapped footage of
Strokkur
, which routinely erupts every five to 10 minutes, and the bigger
Geysir
, which is largely dormant now but used to erupt several times a day. Interestingly, this is
the
geyser that lent its name to the phenomenon in many languages.
Haukadalur Geothermal Area on Street View
We’ve also captured beautiful heritage sites including
Vatnajökulsþjóðgarður
, a national park, and the UNESCO site
Þingvellir
, a place of great historical, cultural and geological
importance
. Iceland's Parliament,
Alþingi
, was established on this site in the year 930, and in 1930 the national park was established to protect the remains.
Þingvellir on Google Street View
And the wonders don’t stop there. Gaze at
Dettifoss
, a waterfall situated in the Vatnajökull National Park and said to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe, or explore
Kerið
, the perfect volcanic crater lake.
Dettifoss Waterfall on Street View
Kerið on Street View
So start your
virtual exploration
now—and it's OK if, like Markley, exhaustion sets in and you need to take a nap in the middle. We—and Iceland's astonishing natural beauty—will be waiting.
Posted by Deanna Yick, Street View Program Manager
Get a front row seat to the games with Google Maps
June 5, 2014
The world's biggest soccer tournament is here. Whether you’re watching from the comfort of your couch or packing your bags for Brazil, Google Maps is your ticket to the games. To kick off the tournament, starting today you can explore all
12 stadiums
and the iconic
painted streets
, one of Brazil’s tournament traditions, in Street View—a digital legacy of the 2014 games for years to come.
Exploring the sights and culture of this year’s football tournament has never been easier with Street View in Google Maps.
Rua Professor Eurico Rabelo - Maracanã, RJ
Rua Padre Agostinho Poncet, São Paulo, Brazil
In addition to the stadiums and painted streets, images from hundreds of sites across
Brazil
, including
Iguaçu National Park
and
St. Michael of the Missions
, are also now available on Google Maps. If what you see in Brazil whets your appetite, you can also explore new Latin American imagery in
Peru
,
Chile
,
Colombia
and
Mexico
.
And if you’re lucky enough to have a physical ticket to Brazil, don’t forget to pack Google Maps for mobile.
Transit
: With Google Maps transit available in all 12 host cities, Brazilians and visitors alike can rest assured they can make it to the stadium and other destinations routing the best path by bus or train.
Indoor Maps:
Make your way through more than 100 venues across Brazil, including airports, shopping malls and, yes, tournament stadiums with Indoor Maps.
Turn-by-turn navigation
: Zip through Brazil from Point A to Point B with Google Maps for mobile, giving you the most accurate traffic info, including real-time incident reports from Waze, and voice-guided directions.
So even if we can't help your favorite team find their way to victory, Google Maps is ready for the assist. You might be (or get) lost without it!
Posted by Deanna Yick, Google Street View Program Manager
Wander through Angkor’s thousand-year-old temples on Street View
April 2, 2014
The sunrise at Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, is one of Southeast Asia’s most iconic and breathtaking vistas. Dawn brings to light the many temples that are thousands of years old, nestled in a web of ancient roads and jungles. Today you’ll be one step closer to that view as we are making more than 100 of these historic sites available online with Street View on Google Maps.
The temples at Angkor each have a unique story—whether it’s the way they were built, the ancient Khmer cities they sit on, or the artwork they contain. To give you the most complete picture, our team used all the tools available to us: Street View cars,
Trekkers
and tripods to carefully photograph the exteriors and interiors of Angkor’s temples as they stand today.
With more than 90,000 new panoramic images views, we hope Cambodians and others around the world can experience these cultural and archaeological treasures in an entirely new way. Whether it’s revisiting iconic sites such as
Bayon Temple
in time for the
Khmer New Year
or studying the
Ramayana’s Battle of Lanka bas relief carvings
within
Angkor Wat
, Street View can help you more easily explore Angkor’s rich heritage.
Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom
Ramayana Gallery at Angkor Wat West
After roaming the temples, you can also experience more of Angkor’s rich historical and artistic heritage through the
Google Cultural Institute
. From 12th-century sculpture and mid-20th century photography to modern-day renderings of medieval Angkor life, nearly 300
exhibits
across the Google Cultural Institute can give you a look at Khmer culture through the ages.
We hope this new imagery will not only let people experience the scale and beauty of Angkor wherever they are, but also demonstrate how technology can change the way cultural treasures are preserved for generations to come.
Manik Gupta, Group Product Manager, Google Maps
Wandering in the footsteps of the polar bear with Google Maps
February 27, 2014
This guest post is from Krista Wright, the executive director of
Polar Bears International
. We’ve partnered with PBI to share a fascinating look at polar bears in the wild using Google Maps. -Ed.
In Inuit poetry, the polar bear is known as Pihoqahiak, the ever-wandering one. Some of the most majestic and elusive creatures in the world, polar bears travel hundreds of miles every year, wandering the tundra and Arctic sea ice in search of food and mates. Today, with the help of Street View, we’re celebrating
International Polar Bear Day
by sharing an
intimate look at polar bears
in their natural habitat.
The Street View Trekker, mounted on a Tundra Buggy, captures images of Churchill’s polar bears
We’ve joined forces with Google Maps to collect Street View imagery from a remote corner of Canada’s tundra:
Churchill, Manitoba
, home to one of the largest polar bear populations on the planet. With the help of outfitters
Frontiers North
, the Google Maps team mounted the Street View Trekker onto a specially designed “
Tundra Buggy
,” allowing us to travel across this fragile landscape without interfering with the polar bears or other native species. Through October and November we collected Street View imagery from the shores of Hudson’s Bay as the polar bears waited for the sea ice to freeze over.
One of Churchill, Manitoba’s Polar Bears on Street View
Modern cartography and polar bear conservation
There’s more to this effort than images of cuddly bears, though. PBI has been working in this region for more than 20 years, and we’ve witnessed firsthand the profound impact of warmer temperatures and
melting sea ice
on the polar bear’s environment. Understanding global warming, and its impact on polar bear populations, requires both global and regional benchmarks. Bringing Street View to Canada's tundra establishes a baseline record of imagery associated with specific geospatial data—information that’s critical if we’re to understand and communicate the impact of climate change on their sensitive ecosystem. As we work to safeguard their habitat, PBI can add Street View imagery to the essential tools we use to assess and respond to the biggest threat facing polar bears today.
Polar Bear International’s
Bear Tracker
We also use the Google Maps API to support our
Bear Tracker
, which illustrates the frozen odyssey these bears embark on every year. As winter approaches and the sea ice freezes over, polar bears head out onto Hudson Bay to hunt for seals. Bear Tracker uses of satellite monitors and an interactive Google Map to display their migration for a global audience.
Mapping the communities of Canada’s Arctic
Google’s trip north builds on work they’ve done in the Arctic communities of
Cambridge Bay
and
Iqaluit
. In the town of Churchill, the Google Maps team conducted a community
MapUp
, which let participants use
Map Maker
to edit and add to the Google Map. From the
Town Centre Complex
, which includes the local school, rink and movie theatre, to the
bear holding facility
used to keep polar bears who have wandered into town until their release can be planned, the citizens of the Churchill made sure Google Maps reflects the community that they know.
But building an accurate and comprehensive map of Canada’s north also means heading out of town to explore this country’s expansive tundra. And thanks to this collaboration with Google Maps, people around the world now have the opportunity to virtually experience Canada’s spectacular landscape—and maybe take a few moments to wander in the footsteps of the polar bear.
Krista Wright, Executive Director of Polar Bears International
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