[GIS] Openlayers 4: Add OSM labels without geometries

openlayersopenstreetmapwms

Is there a way to add a layer in Openlayers 4 containing only OpenStreetMap labels (for cities and roads mainly).?
I know how to display OSM layers with and without labels using these links:

https://tiles.wmflabs.org/osm/${z}/${x}/${y}.png
https://tiles.wmflabs.org/osm-no-labels/${z}/${x}/${y}.png

I would like to display a layer containing only labels and not geometries over a satellite image.

Any idea on how I can achieve that?

Best Answer

Map Compare lists a few, mostly ugly, label-only tile servers:

  • ESRI Boundaries & Places
  • TomTom Labels

Additionally, Leaflet Provider Demo lists some better looking ones:

  • CartoDB.PositronOnlyLabels
  • CartoDB.DarkMatterOnlyLabels
  • Stamen.TonerLabels

If they don't fit you can still render your own OSM tiles with a customized style sheet.

I can't provide any exact tile URLs for you since there are no links to the corresponding tile server documentation. You can either search for the documentation yourself or use your browser to determine the tile URLs getting accessed while viewing these maps.

Remember to respect the usage policy of the tile server you choose.

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