Find forgotten places on historical maps
Vetus Maps helps you discover traces of the past around you using historical maps.
Bring historical maps into the field
Take old maps with you into the landscape, compare them with the present and follow your own curiosity on the ground.
What makes Vetus Maps different
Vetus Maps is more than just a collection of historical maps — it's a practical tool for exploring the past in the real world.
The app gives you access to a large catalog of georeferenced historical maps from different regions and time periods, all available directly on your smartphone.
You can overlay historical maps on modern satellite views and instantly see how the landscape has changed over time — from vanished settlements and old roads to forgotten landmarks no longer shown on today's maps.
Unlike traditional map apps, Vetus Maps is designed for real exploration. You can navigate using historical maps, mark interesting locations, record GPS tracks, and return to the same places later — even without internet access.
Whether you are a local historian, researcher, traveler or simply curious about the past, Vetus Maps helps you discover hidden layers of the landscape and turn them into real journeys.
Features
Built for curious people who want to browse old maps, notice something intriguing and follow that thread into the real world.
Map Catalog
Access a large built-in catalog of historical maps from different regions and time periods. Choose the maps you need, preview them before downloading, and use them for navigation right away — all maps are already georeferenced.
Transparency Control
Adjust the transparency of historical maps with a smooth slider. Reveal what used to be here and identify old roads, buildings and landmarks that no longer appear on modern maps.
Georeference Adjustment
Refine map alignment manually using real-world landmarks. Even if an old map has distortions, you can adjust it for accurate navigation on the ground.
Markers & Map Tools
Mark interesting places with a single tap and organize your discoveries. Draw directly on the map, measure distances and areas, and plan your exploration in detail.
Track Recording & Sharing
Record your routes as you explore and never lose your way. Return along the same path, analyze your trips later, or share tracks and markers with others.
Offline Maps
All downloaded historical maps are available offline. You can also prepare modern map areas in advance, so everything works even without internet.
Read the landscape across time
The most exciting moments come when an old map points to something unusual, and you can stand there today to see what survived, shifted or disappeared.
Find places worth exploring
Scan historical maps and notice forgotten roads, settlements and landmarks.
Understand where they are today
Overlay past and present to see what changed and what remains.
Go there
Use GPS, markers and tracks to explore in the real world.
Screenshots
A quick tour through the catalog, overlay tools and field workflow inside Vetus Maps.
Ready to travel in time?
The application is available for free download in the App Store and Google Play.
Frequently asked questions
Vetus Maps automatically shows all available historical maps for the area you are viewing. Simply move the map to your location of interest, open the map panel, and browse the available options.
You can preview any map before downloading it, compare different maps, and choose the one that best fits your exploration.
Yes, all purchases are linked to your App Store or Google Play account and can be restored at any time.
You can restore purchases from the app settings on any of your devices. Purchases made on iOS are available on iOS devices, and purchases made on Google Play are available on Android devices.
A subscription unlocks all historical maps and premium features in the app.
Maps downloaded with a subscription remain available while the subscription is active. Maps purchased individually are stored permanently and do not expire.
Yes, all downloaded historical maps are available offline.
You can also prepare modern map areas in advance, so you can continue exploring and navigating even without an internet connection.
Yes, Vetus Maps combines GPS navigation with historical maps, allowing you to explore real locations while viewing past landscapes.
You can move on the map, track your position, and navigate to places that no longer exist on modern maps.
Historical maps may have small alignment inaccuracies due to how they were originally created.
Vetus Maps allows you to manually adjust map alignment using real-world landmarks, helping you match historical maps more precisely with the modern landscape.
Yes, Vetus Maps allows you to import your own historical maps. The map must be in RMaps SQLite format (.sqlitedb), and the import option must be enabled.
Once imported, the map becomes available in your local collection and can be used just like other maps in the app.
Vetus Maps stores your markers and tracks directly on your device, giving you full control over your data.
To keep your discoveries safe, you can export your markers and tracks as a KML file and store it in a secure location. This also makes it easy to transfer your data to another device or use it in other mapping tools.