I think this is the websites where the reason for it's existance is simply that it can be done.

Basically, it translates Google Maps (Maps and Sat Imagery) into ASCII and allows you to use it like you would normally use Google Maps. There are four buttons which allow you to switch between ASCII/image, Map/Sat.

As an example, take a look at Blair's Millenium Dome.

At the moment, it only uses one character so it's not real ASCII art. It seems like this is in the works though

It'd be interesting to make a version of Google Maps which uses only <div> tags and CSS styles. That's Web 2.0 goodness. 

Via Google Blogoscoped.