Google Earth Satellite Imagery

For many years the Google Earth satellite imagery for the region around Tovste was of such poor resolution that it was useful only for differenting between various swathes of agricultural land, forest, and large bodies of water. This changed dramatically in the second half of 2007 when an incredibly high resolution image of the town was made available online. Suddenly it was possible to discern with remarkable clarity all of Tovste's streets and lanes, individual houses and other buildings, and even vehicles -- thanks to a satellite that evidently captured the scene in April 2005.

The image below is an overview of a fairly large area, giving a general impression of the town and its immediate vicinity. Clicking on the main image will generate a pop-up window with a closer view of the town centre. To really appreciate the brilliance of Google Earth it is best to establish a live connection that will allow you to zoom in even more to see individual artifacts more clearly.

This is easily done once you have downloaded the Google Earth software on your computer, and assumes that you have a reasonably good internet connection. Broadband is not absolutely required, but it will obviously enhance the viewing experience. Once Google Earth is running, simply search for "Tovste, Ukraine" and you will be transported to the same images captured here.

At some point, I plan to annotate one of the images in order to show some of the landmarks mentioned throughout this website. In the meanwhile, enjoy this marvellous technology which brings the town of Tovste to computer screens around the world!

Click the image to view a close-up of the centre of Tovste