On this day: The Palace of Versailles was Inaugurated

On May 7, 1664, the Palace of Versailles was inaugurated by King Louis XIV. It served as the centre of political and royal power until the start of the revolution in 1789. Given how opulent it is, and the living…

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Wednesday, 7th May 2014

On this day: The Eiffel Tower Opened

On May 6, 1889, the Eiffel Tower was opened to the public. Serving as the entry gate to the World's Fair, the Eiffel Tower was the tallest man-made structure in the world for the next 41 years. With around 7…

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Tuesday, 6th May 2014

On this day: Napoleon Died In Exile on Saint Helena

On May 5, 1821, Napoleon died on Saint Helena. Following his defeat in the Battle of Waterloo six years earlier, the British had imprisoned Napoleon on this South Atlantic island. As he still believed he was an emperor he complained…

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Monday, 5th May 2014

On this day: Mary Queen of Scots escaped Loch Leven castle

On May 2, 1568, Mary Queen of Scots escaped from Loch Leven Castle. After having been imprisoned on this isolated island for close to a year, and having been forced to abdicate the throne, Mary escaped but promptly lost a…

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Friday, 2nd May 2014

On this day: The Empire State Building was dedicated

On May 1, 1931, the Empire State Building was dedicated. The 103-storey skyscraper was the tallest building in the world - a record it held for almost 40 years. President Herbert Hoover turned on the building's lights with the push…

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Thursday, 1st May 2014

Solar Power Towers

We've visited a few solar power generation facilities in the past, but here is a roundup of solar power towers - elevated structures surrounded by movable mirrors called heliostats. The mirrors concentrate solar energy onto receptors in the tower where…

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Friday, 25th April 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.

Like this site? We published a photo book of the best entries, you should buy a copy.