Historical maps from "Finn"

The Norwegian marketplace Finn.no has now launched historical maps in its map service. The new historical maps gives you access to aerial photography that is composed above several Norwegian cities. The photo on the left shows Oslo in 1937 and Western Railway in operation, and construction of the Oslo City Hall.

Oslo, Trondheim, Bergen, Kongsberg, Ålesund, are just some of the cities that you can now look at using the historical maps. How far back in time will vary from city to city. For example, Tønsberg in the time of writing is provided with historical maps back to 2001, while Oslo and Trondheim have maps dating back to 1937.

To use the service, go into the Finn's map service and set the map on the area you want to see from the old days. Then it will appear above a menu item called "historiske" (historic), click this link and you will see which year there are maps from in the area concerned.

Finn.no have got the pictures from the Norwegian Mapping Authority and the City of Oslo, through Norkart.

To "Computerworld" the product manager for maps, Per Eirik Marton, says that for some time they have received inquiries from people wanting to know when the pictures of the maps are taken. He says that this gives you the opportunity to see how the "Aker Brygge" appeared in the 80's, but also to document that the neighbor's tree has grown too large.

For us genealogists it provides an unique opportunity to see what the environment looked like for to our closer relatives, but also our own childhood?