Online viewfinder shows evolution of Catalonia from the air

Traveling back in time and discovering how Catalonia looked from the sky is now easier than ever. 

The Eye of Time (L'ull del temps), an online viewfinder showing Catalonia from above has been updated by the Catalan Cartographic and Geological Institute (ICGC) and can be used to analyze how the territory has evolved over time. 

The viewfinder has been updated to analyze the evolution of vegetation, agricultural transformation, communication routes, social changes and the development of towns and cities in Catalonia.  

The online tool allows anyone to see the evolution of Catalonia since 1945. The app shows a map of Catalonia in the present, and how it looked in the past, depending on the year the user chooses. 

The initial version of The Eye of Time released in 2016 showed images from United States Airforce photogrammetric flights – a method of mapping using aerial photographs – in 1945 and 1956. 

The updated version of the app uses new images to allow users to travel back in time to the Catalonia of the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. It also allows the user to see the changes in more detail with a new 3D option.  

The app can be downloaded for cellphone now making the experience of exploring Catalonia more immersive. If users in Catalonia share their location, the Eye of Time will show how the area looked like in the year chosen.