Maps & Places
Historical maps, cadastral maps, gazetteers, aerial photography, and place-name tools for research into locations through time.
Rating: start here first · strong source · specific cases
Historic Maps
| Priority | Source | Description | Region | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Rumsey Historical Map Collection | Large collection of high-resolution historical maps from many countries and periods. Private collection; check reuse terms. | International | Free | EN | |
| Library of Congress Maps | LOC map collections including historical, military, regional, and thematic maps. Rights vary by item. | United States | Free | EN | |
| National Library of Scotland Maps | Major historical map portal. Particularly strong for Britain: OS maps, town plans, military maps, and aerial photography. | United Kingdom | Free | EN | |
| Old Maps Online | Aggregates historical maps from major institutions including BL, NLS, David Rumsey, and others. Single search interface across multiple collections. | International | Free | EN | |
| TrenchMapper | Interactive tool overlaying WWI trench maps and aerial photos onto modern satellite imagery of WWI battlefields. Western Front Association + Imperial War Museums. | Western Europe (WWI) | Free | EN |
Aerial Photography and Landscape Change
| Priority | Source | Description | Region | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remonter le temps — IGN | French national mapping agency platform for historical maps and aerial imagery. Useful for studying French landscape change over time. Map interface only; not a text archive. | France | Free | FR | |
| BruCiel | Brussels historical aerial imagery and map viewer from urban.brussels. Useful for tracking buildings, streets, and landscape change in the Brussels region. | Belgium | Free | FR/NL |
Cemetery Maps and Locations
| Priority | Source | Description | Region | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth War Graves Commission | CWGC provides cemetery locations and grave maps for Commonwealth war cemeteries worldwide. | UK / Commonwealth | Free | EN | |
| Volksbund Gräbersuche Online | German War Graves Commission provides cemetery locations and burial records for German war dead. | Germany / International | Free | DE |
Broader Archives with Map Holdings
| Priority | Source | Description | Region | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallica (BnF) | BnF digital library includes a strong collection of French and international historical maps and plans. | France | Free | FR/EN | |
| Europeana | European cultural heritage aggregator includes map and cartographic collections from EU institutions. | Europe-wide | Free / mixed | Multiple | |
| Cartesius (Belgium) | Belgian historical map portal for Belgian cartography. | Belgium | Needs verification | NL/FR |