Map displaying method and apparatus, and navigation system having the map displaying apparatus

A map display method and a medium storing program for realizing this method, and a map display apparatus are described wherein map information in an area specified in response to a current location of a moving object is read from a map database. Furthermore, a perspective map looking from a view point toward a ground plane is generated by executing coordinate transformation procedures on said map information, and a scenery image corresponding to said perspective map is displayed on a display device. According to the invention said view point for generating said perspective map is established above a height of a map constituent element existing at a location specified in response to the current location of said moving object, said height of said view point being renewed with movement of said moving object. Additionally, a navigation system is described comprising a map database device for storing map information at least including information regarding topographical features and roads. Information regarding heights of map constituent elements are obtained from a map database storing map information.