Planned at the end of the sixteenth century and built during the seventeenth, Amsterdam has inspired generations of city planners.
Published Jul 21, 2013
The compact Italian city of Venice with its renowned canals is situated on a small, fish-shaped island in the Laguna Veneta at the northwest corner of the Adriatic Sea. In this photo taken from the International Space Station by the Expedition 1 Crew on February 21, 2001, one can see part of the causeway connecting the city to the mainland. The sinuous Canal Grande bisecting the city is easily visible in this scene as is the larger Canal Giudecca to the west, which leads to the port facilities on the northwestern end of the island. For centuries, the low-lying city has successfully coped with the three-foot tidal range experienced at this end of the Adriatic Sea, and the series of barrier islands has offered some protection from storm waves. However, a combination of both regional land subsidence and recent slight rises in sea level pose a significant threat this historic city and its priceless art treasures.
Published Jul 8, 2001
A space-based perspective of the city of Venice quickly reveals different development and land uses in the region; the major islands in the lagoon surrounding Venice—Laguna Veneta—look different from one another. The island of Venice itself, a dense urban landscape, appears almost uniformly covered with red-tiled roofs. By contrast, port facilities and the train station at the west end of the island appear in shades of gray.
Published Apr 23, 2007
Québec City is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Americas, and the one that still feels closest to its roots.
Published Feb 12, 2018
The old and new zones of Doha, capital city of Qatar, are clearly visible from space, as is the Persian Gulf emirate’s new artificial island, The Pearl.
Published Dec 20, 2010
The waters that once protected Venice now threaten it. A complex engineering project is being installed to beat back the tide.
Published Mar 25, 2014
Buenos Aires is one of the larger cities seen by orbiting crews. Twelve million people, almost one third of all Argentines, live in this city, often called the “Paris of the South”.
Published Mar 16, 2003
