Photo Gallery Virtual Hamburg
Hamburg will soon be the world's first city with its downtown rendered in detailed 3D on Google Earth.
The new version of Google's mapping software combines 3D models with old-school aerial photography. Hamburg's docks are shown here.
Hundreds of buildings in downtown Hamburg were captured in more than 1000 aerial photos. Using those pictures, the company Cybercity extracted the facades und added them to existing 3D models of the buildings.
This model of the Spiegel Magazine's Hamburg office was created with Google's free software, called Sketch-Up.
US cities like New York already exist as 3D models in Google Earth -- but most of the buildings appear as white blocks.
View of the Chrysler Building in midtown Manhattan in Google Earth. The skyscraper is one of the city's few landmarks rendered in detail.
Only a few buildings in London exist in 3D.
Microsoft's response: At a trade show in Las Vegas, Bill Gates showed off Microsoft's rival service, Virtual Earth, with a flyby of the Vegas Strip.
The Swiss company Cybercity has created yet another, rival model of Las Vegas.
Cybercity also has a digital version of Florence, Italy.
Yet another firm, Remote Sensing Solutions, has rendered Berlin on DVD.
Street maps and information about important buildings can be pulled up if needed.
A total of 50 buildings in the German capital were rendered using CAD software.
Nymphenburger Park in Munich, also from Remote Sensing Solutions.
Alpine surfing: Wander the Zugspitze from the comfort of your home.
