This feature allows you to view images dating back to 2007 on some sites that Google began documenting early.
The feature relies on the huge archive collected by Google’s “Street View” cars during their trips around the world, where sequential images of the same locations have been saved over the years. This allowed the creation of a visual record that documents urban and social changes in many cities and regions.
Historical photos
Users can take advantage of this feature via the web version of Google Maps, by searching for a specific location and then dragging the yellow man icon known as the Pegman onto one of the blue-shaded streets to enter “Street View” mode.
After that, the option to view more dates appears, which allows you to browse the images available for the same site across different years. The feature is also available on smartphone applications running on the “Android” and “iOS” systems, where you can long press on a specific location, then open “Street View” and choose the displayed date to access older images if available.
Urban and social transformations
The feature allows users to see the changes that have occurred in residential neighborhoods, shops, and famous landmarks over time. In some areas, it is possible to follow the stages of constructing new buildings or demolishing old facilities, while in other places, images reveal the changing patterns of cars, clothing, and daily life over the years.
Experts confirm that the number of images and time periods available varies from one region to another according to the number of times Google cars visited those sites, as major cities usually have a richer archive compared to rural or remote areas.
The importance of the feature is not limited to entertainment or nostalgia, but it can be a useful tool for researchers and those interested in urban planning and documenting environmental and social changes.
Some also use it to restore personal memories related to previous homes or neighborhoods, which has made it gain widespread attention on social media platforms in recent years.
This feature is an example of how big digital data can be used to document the transformations the world is witnessing, giving users a unique opportunity to compare the present with the past and explore the history of places in front of their screens.
