Street Views

On this day: York Minster was Damaged by Fire

On May 20, 1840, an accidental fire damaged a large part of York Minster. Just one of a number of fires which have blighted the building over the centuries, this one in particular led the Church into serious debt and…

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Tuesday, 20th May 2014

On this day: The Celsius Thermometer was Invented

On May 19, 1743, the first Celsius mercury thermometer design was published by Jean-Pierre Christin. Only a handful of countries still doggedly hold on to the Fahrenheit scale, including the US where the World's Tallest Thermometer is found in Baker,…

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Monday, 19th May 2014

On this day: The First Academy Awards

On May 16, 1929, the first Academy Awards (Oscars) took place at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. 270 people paid $5 for dinner and the ceremony took all of 15 minutes - a far cry from the bloated excess of the…

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Friday, 16th May 2014

The Walls of Ston

Although the walls in question are made of stone, the title of this post isn't missing an 'e'. Ston is a town in Croatia which is the proud owner of Europe's longest structure. The walls of Ston are defensive walls…

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Thursday, 15th May 2014

On this day: The City of Las Vegas was Founded

On May 15, 1905, the city of Las Vegas was founded with the auction of half a square kilometre of land owned by the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad. Initially a pioneer stopover, the first casinos in…

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Thursday, 15th May 2014

On this day: Talyllyn Railway

On May 14, 1951, the Talyllyn Railway became the first line in the world to be preserved as a heritage railway by volunteers. Trains doubtless run closer to schedule than any other railway in the UK.

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Wednesday, 14th May 2014

Welcome to Google Sightseeing!

Google Sightseeing takes you on a tour of the world as seen from satellite or street views using Google Maps. Our team of authors present weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

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