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Google has released its list of the most photographed
locations on Earth using data from geolocated images uploaded by
individual users.The heat map generated by the search giant shows
Earth's most photographed locales based on photos uploaded by users to
the Google Maps Panoramio service that links images with locations in
Google Maps and Google Earth.
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New York City
New York City, however, ranks the most photographed town in the world.
But you might be surprised to learn that the most popular place to take
a photo in the Big Apple is the (admittedly striking) Guggenheim Museum.
Sorry, Lady Liberty. |
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Rome
Rome is Panoramio's most photographed city in Europe and the second-most
photographed place in the world. The place you're most likely to see
people framing a perfect shot is the Trinita dei Monti, probably not the
most famous Renaissance church in Italy, but it stands with a certain
gravitas above the Piazza di Spagna Rome and popular "Spanish Steps,"
which also round out Rome's top three spots for shutterbugs. |
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Barcelona
Who can visit what many consider Spain's most elegant city without a
camera? While it's worth noting Panoramio's origins as a Spanish startup
might have helped two of the country's cities make the top 20, it's hard
to deny the draw of Barcelona's Park Güell, a large garden complex
designed by legendary architect and hometown hero Antoni Gaudi. |
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Paris
The only thing shocking about Paris making this list is perhaps that it
ranks so low at No. 4 in the world. Apparently, Panoramio users feel
they've seen enough shots of the Eiffel Tower already, or perhaps
they're just more into the nightlife, which is why the legendary Moulin
Rouge is the city's most photographed site. |
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Istanbul
When visiting Istanbul, there's a good chance you'll want to stand on
the edge of the Strait of Bosphorus, where the European and Asian
continents meet, and somehow document this watery continental divide.
Fortunately, the historic Maiden's Tower sits on a small island at the
southern entrance to the strait, only 220 yards from the Asian coast.
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Venice
The famed gondolas of Venice don't stay in one place, but the bridges
over the city's canals do, which is perhaps why Ponte dell'Accademia, a
bridge over the Grand Canal, draws so many snapshots from Panoramio
users.
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Monte Carlo
James Bond fans will recognize the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, which has
become synonymous with luxury and high rollers in its more than 150
years. Even kids may recognize the building from its cameo in the
animated film "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted."
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Florence
While Piazzale Michelangelo (Michelangelo Square) is technically the
spot where the most photographs are taken in Florence, it's really the
city itself that is the most photographed site (and sight). The square
offers an easy way to save a buck or two on postcards by providing an
epic panorama of the city.
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Buenos Aires
The Caminito is the most colorful street in La Boca, which is itself the
most colorful section of Buenos Aires. Tourists flock here to feast on
Argentine beef while watching a tango show. Locals descend on the
surrounding area to support their celebrated soccer team, the La Boca
Juniors. Both phenomena have led to a rainbow of colors being painted on
most available structures and surfaces. |
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Budapest
No surprise here that when people visit Budapest, one of Europe's most
historic cities, they tend to document one of its most grand structures,
St. Stephen's Basilica, easily the most important church in Hungary.
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