Google Inc.'s Street View, covering some 30 countries enables users of Google Maps to also view photos of streets taken by its camera car.
Although many of the images are gathered with cars that have a camera mounted on top, more difficult-to-reach spots, or publicly inaccessible sites, have been recorded on a pedestrian “trike” and other devices.
“With advancements in our camera technologies we can now go off the beaten track to photograph some of the most significant places in the world so that anyone, anywhere can explore them,” the company announced on the new website.
The project, unveiled on Thursday, includes 132 famous spots in 18 countries. Historic and notable spots on the website include Shark Bay in Australia, the Golden Gate Park Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco and a smattering of sites across Europe.
The UN cultural agency UNESCO and the World Monuments Fund are partnering with the company to provide information about the treasured spots. Videos, photographs and interactive models also spangle the site; people can submit snapshots of the famous places for possible inclusion on the website as well.
So far, the project does not include any sites in Africa and is sparse across much of Asia and South America, an absence that annoyed some commenters, who pointed out the gap on YouTube and Twitter.
Google said that it hopes to continually add more sites with the help of its partner agencies.