Europe: History Seen From Above

In 218 BC, Roman troops landed in Hispania, reshaping Iberia with cities, roads, and aqueducts. A jewel of the empire, it became a thriving hub that produced influential leaders.

In 711, Arab and Berber forces crossed Gibraltar, conquering Iberia and founding Al-Andalus. For eight centuries, Muslim rule transformed Spain’s cities, culture, and architecture.

For centuries, Spain was divided by war. From the 8th century, Christian kingdoms waged the 800-year Reconquista, ending in 1492 with Granada’s fall and Spain’s unification.

In 1492, Isabella and Ferdinand united Spain, ending the Reconquista and financing Columbus. Their reign launched a golden age of exploration, empire, and immense global influence.

Between 1936–1939, Spain’s Civil War killed 600,000. From Belchite’s ruins to Franco’s monuments, the landscape still bears witness to decades of repression under dictatorship.

Food shaped Europe’s landscapes—wheat, rye, wine, beer—blurring clichés between France and Germany. Aerial views trace centuries of farming and the roots of culinary identity.

From fortresses to bunkers, Europe’s borders reveal war’s scars. Between France and Germany, frontiers shifted from battlegrounds to peaceful lines shaped by nature and history.

Rising seas after the Ice Age isolated Britain, but ancient traces remain—villages, stone circles, chalk figures, and Hadrian’s Wall—each marking humanity’s enduring presence.

The White Cliffs of Dover long guarded Britain. After the 1066 Norman conquest, castles and fortresses rose—lasting symbols of centuries of war, power, and unification.

Britain’s rural landscapes seem wild, but centuries of reclamation, deforestation, and farming shaped them. Later, aristocrats created the distinct English Garden.

In the 19th century, coal fueled Britain’s industrial rise. Mines, railways, and factories transformed cities and lives, forging a new social and economic landscape.

With over 4,000 islands, Britain’s history is tied to the sea. From invaders to empire, ports like Liverpool reflect centuries of maritime power shaping its identity.