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https://www.flickr.com/photos/ciagov/30849056096/in/album-72157674886243461/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ciagov/30849056096/in/album-72... If it's a tourist

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ciagov/30849056096/in/album-72157674886243461/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ciagov/30849056096/in/album-72... If it's a tourist map then probably so, but I assume CIA would like to see something more substantial on their map. They're not in for the sights are they?

avar 10y ago
Churches are major landmarks.
- lostlogin 10y ago
  Some are - they are absolutely everywhere in all cities I've lived in or visited, and yet I couldn't tell you the names of more than a couple. Do people really know the names of a significant portion of them?
  - grzm 10y ago
    Probably the people who live in those neighborhoods do, which can be a useful reference if you're in those areas.
    - guard-of-terra 10y ago
      Asking people about churches in 198x USSR was probably not the wisest way to go around for a CIA spy. Better stick with libraries.
      - grzm 10y ago
        I was thinking more along the lines of "I'm looking for a shop near X."
        guard-of-terra 10y ago
        Никогда ещё Штирлиц[1] не был так близок к провалу. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stierlitz https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stierlitz
    - maxerickson 10y ago
      Or a useful reference point to call back to the artillery. Recording information that is tactically useful for a ground battle would almost certainly have been a goal of the mapping program.
- dingaling 10y ago
  They are also long-lived ( on the scale of decades and centuries ) and have reasonably static names.
  - ptaipale 10y ago
    Yes, although in Soviet Union, they still often had other names and functions (as a movie theatre, or a grain warehouse, or whatever).
briandear 10y ago
Most of CIA's work is at the ground level. Stuff relevant for tourists is highly relevant in the field. (Meet this source next to the statue of St. Something, next to the kiosk across from the children's zoo entrance #3.)

avar 10y ago

Churches are major landmarks.

lostlogin 10y ago
Some are - they are absolutely everywhere in all cities I've lived in or visited, and yet I couldn't tell you the names of more than a couple. Do people really know the names of a significant portion of them?
- grzm 10y ago
  Probably the people who live in those neighborhoods do, which can be a useful reference if you're in those areas.
  - guard-of-terra 10y ago
    Asking people about churches in 198x USSR was probably not the wisest way to go around for a CIA spy. Better stick with libraries.
    - grzm 10y ago
      I was thinking more along the lines of "I'm looking for a shop near X."
      - guard-of-terra 10y ago
        Никогда ещё Штирлиц[1] не был так близок к провалу. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stierlitz https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stierlitz
  - maxerickson 10y ago
    Or a useful reference point to call back to the artillery. Recording information that is tactically useful for a ground battle would almost certainly have been a goal of the mapping program.
dingaling 10y ago
They are also long-lived ( on the scale of decades and centuries ) and have reasonably static names.
- ptaipale 10y ago
  Yes, although in Soviet Union, they still often had other names and functions (as a movie theatre, or a grain warehouse, or whatever).

briandear 10y ago

Most of CIA's work is at the ground level. Stuff relevant for tourists is highly relevant in the field. (Meet this source next to the statue of St. Something, next to the kiosk across from the children's zoo entrance #3.)