Archive for September 7th, 2005

Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

Louvre Museum

Wednesday, 7th September 2005 by James

The Louvre Museum is housed in a former Royal Palace and is home to many priceless works of art including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and according to Dan Brown, the holy grail.

In the satellite photo you can see large queues of people waiting to enter the museum via the glass pyramid in the centre of the courtyard. You can also scroll a little west for Tuileries gardens.

P.S. Spoiler warning ;-)

Thanks: Luke, Thomas, Kevin, troy, Oggy, tony, Patrick, Heath, stz, Chris Granger, Daniel, Chris, George, Bennet Langlotz, Eric Baudelet & Sergio Giraldo

Cabo Da Roca

Wednesday, 7th September 2005 by Alex

This is Cabo Da Roca (Cape Roca), Portugal, which is the very westernmost point of mainland Europe. You can see the lighthouse perched on the cliff-top, and also what looks like a viewing area on the cliff-edge.

Cabo Da Roca

Doesn’t look very warm there though if you ask me… which is a shame because I’m going to Portugal tomorrow! Don’t worry, I’m sure James and Olly will look after you guys :-D Have a nice week!

Thanks to Manuel Freitas and florian.

Jesus Tunnel

Wednesday, 7th September 2005 by Alex

Looks like yet another person has been keen to write ‘Jesus’ on a hillside, this time over the entrance to a tunnel near Barueri city, Brazil.

Jesus Tunnel

I’m not quite sure what Jesus had to do with the construction of this tunnel.. but it’s actually quite cool nonetheless, as it travels for quite a way through the mountain, eventually reappearing down here.

Other end

Thanks to Tom B, Sight, Cesar Andrade and Christoph Suwelack.

Rio-Niterói Bridge

Wednesday, 7th September 2005 by Alex

This is the Rio-Niterói Bridge, which connects Rio de Janeiro with Niterói in Brazil. Built between 1969 and 1974, this gargantuan structure is over 13 kilometres long (8.25 miles) and is a record holder for the size of it’s central space - the highest in the world at 72 metres (Wikipedia page).

Rio-Niterói Bridge Close Up

At one point the bridge touches down on an island, and there’s also a great curve in the bridge as it passes into Rio.

Rio-Niterói Bridge Curve

The bridge carries approximately 230,000 vehicles each day, and you can see the large queue of cars waiting to pay their toll in Niterói (and also a very cool spaghetti junction awaiting them on the other side).

Toll Bridge

Thanks to Fabiano Limeira, Thiago M. F., Halio Freitas, Wilson Baptista Junior, Abrico Panaro and Rob Marshall.