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Ancient Rome comes to life with virtual aerial tour

Travel back in time to see rome's landmarks as they looked in the fourth century ..

Flyover Zone, a pioneer in the emerging field of virtual tourism, has released a remastered version of its virtual aerial tour of ancient Rome.

Rome Reborn 4.0 updates the graphics used in earlier versions of the virtual tour developed by leading digital archaeologist Professor Bernard Frischer.

Rome Reborn 4.0. Photo Flyover Zone.

The narrated tour in English, available as an app or online at Yorescape , digitally reconstructs Rome as it appeared at its peak in 320 AD, a decade before Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Constantinople.

The 3D rendering features a bird's eye view of more than 40 landmarks including the Colosseum, the Circus Maximus, the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Pantheon and the Baths of Caracalla.

On Wednesday, November 8, Flyover Zone is releasing Rome Reborn 4.0, our digital reconstruction of ancient Rome! Take our new virtual tour, "Flight over Ancient Rome" on our app, Yorescape- free for one week: https://t.co/BMqq36TMPO pic.twitter.com/zLMRV0Xm0V — Flyover Zone | virtual tourism (@flyover_zone) November 3, 2023

Professor Frischer says the 'Flight over Ancient Rome' tour is designed for both academic study and virtual tourism, describing it as the “culmination of more than 27 years of historical research applied to the use of innovative digital tools”.

“We hope to make it easy and fun for people to learn about ancient Rome and its cultural heritage," Frischer told Italian news agency ANSA, adding that the virtual tour can help tourists prepare for their visit to the Eternal City as well as keep their memories alive once they return home.

Photo Rome Reborn 4.0 Flyover Zone

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Virtual Travel

A Smithsonian magazine special report

Ambitious VR Experience Restores 7,000 Roman Buildings, Monuments to Their Former Glory

You can take an aerial tour of the city circa 320 A.D. or stop by specific sites for in-depth exploration

Meilan Solly

Senior Associate Digital Editor, History

Ever wish you could step into a hot air balloon, travel back in time to 320 A.D., and soar over the streets of Ancient Rome? Well, that oddly specific fantasy is achievable in a new virtual reality experience called “ Rome Reborn .”

The ambitious undertaking, painstakingly built by a team of 50 academics and computer experts over a 22-year period, recreates 7,000 buildings and monuments scattered across a 5.5 square mile stretch of the famed Italian city. The project, according to Tom Kington of the Times , is being marketed as the largest digital reconstruction of Rome to date.

Director Bernard Frischer , a digital archaeologist at Indiana University, tells Agence France-Presse that “Rome Reborn” features multiple VR experiences: You can opt for a whirlwind flyover tour of the city or stop by a specific site, such as the Roman forum or the Basilica of Maxentius .

For now, the forum and basilica are the only two landmarks available for in-depth exploration, but tours of the Colosseum, the Pantheon and other top attractions are expected to debut this year or next.

The “ Flight Over Ancient Rome ” experience, currently available via VR headsets and computers, takes participants on a roughly two-hour highlights tour that includes stops at more than 35 points of interest, including the imperial fora and palace, the Circus Maximus, and the tombs of emperors Augustus and Hadrian. All of these sites are seen from above, providing a unique aerial perspective the website touts as a chance to see “how the individual buildings and monuments fit into a larger pattern of urban organization.”

Comparatively, the two site visits place users in the driver’s seat, affording them freedom to roam through reconstructed streets and halls while learning key facts via a helpful in-app tour guide. The Basilica of Maxentius , a monumental civic building commissioned by the emperor Maxentius prior to his defeat at the hands of rival Constantine, is particularly impressive due to its vibrant interior and restored statue of the conquering emperor, who later oversaw the Roman Empire’s transition into a Christian state.

The Forum, a marketplace of sorts that served as the center of the ancient city, also reveals an impressive attention to detail: As archaeologist Paolo Liverani of the University of Florence explains to the Times ’ Kington, researchers used studies on the flooring of the Forum—including an illustration found on the Arch of Constantine —to render the virtual model accurately. VR experts even collaborated with historians to ensure that sunlight correctly bounced off of the Forum’s gold-gilded statues.

Frischer tells AFP that he and his colleagues chose to set their virtual world in 320 A.D. because they had the most information on that period, which allowed them to go into greater detail. Additionally, he explains , the year represented a critical turning point for Rome, as it experienced a burst of architectural energy and saw its population cross the 1 million threshold. Just 10 years later, Constantine moved the imperial capital east to Constantinople , signaling the end of Rome’s position as the center of the empire.

Today, little of the sumptuous world seen in “Rome Reborn” remains, a fact emphasized by the app’s “Time Warp” feature. By toggling between the structures’ past glory and present-day dilapidation, history lovers gain an even greater appreciation of just what was achieved during Rome's glory days.

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Meilan Solly | | READ MORE

Meilan Solly is Smithsonian magazine's senior associate digital editor, history.

Travel through time: 7 immersive virtual reality experiences in Rome

Relive ancient Rome through these multimedia and augmented reality experiences in Rome

Rome is known worldwide for its fascinating open-air museum, boasting thousands-year-old monuments, ruins and architecture. So much so that each year millions of tourists flock to visit the stunning archeological treasures the Eternal City has to offer. But in addition to visiting these colossal structures, you can now relive ancient Rome in a completely different way thanks to these 5 virtual reality experiences that allow visitors to immerse themselves in the glorious days of the Roman Empire and witness the monuments the way the were 2000 years ago. From augmented reality experiences to multimedia shows, get ready for the famous ruins to come back to life with these 7 immersive experiences in Rome .

Circo Maximo Experience

The colosseum in vr, domus aurea, van gogh experience, palazzo valentini’s domus roma, baths of caracalla 4d virtual tour, imperial rome – virtual reality bus.

There is little left of the famous Circo Massimo, once the heart of Roman entertainment and a social hub for the city. But with the Circo Maximo Experience , everything changes – the cutting-edge project allows us to see into the past and experience Roman life at the famous arena, using interactive display technologies never before realized in an outdoor area of such large dimensions. The immersive experience takes us on a journey through time, seeing the Circus Maximus evolve from the origins of Rome to the current day: from a simple green valley, to the area’s first primitive arena, to the splendour of Roman imperialism and beyond. The 40-minute walking itinerary is available in eight languages (Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Japanese) and is a must-have experience for anyone wanting to relive the splendours of the Circo Massimo.

It’s not always easy trying to imagine how things looked like thousands of years ago. And this goes for wonderfully preserved monuments like the Colosseum as well. As many know, the Colosseum was once a stadium for gladiator contests and public spectacles. But how was the Colosseum really 2000 years ago? With the new animated and interactive 3D reconstruction , you can now live the Colosseum like it was back in the day. With this Colosseum Virtual Reality experience , you’ll get a skip-the-line ticket into the Colosseum Archeological park plus last generation Samsung Oculus VR to virtually immerse yourself in ancient Rome. Inside the arena, you will immerse yourself between the roar of the lions and gladiators fighting; as well as into various 3D corridors of the mysterious underground  area of the Colosseum where slaves prepared the shows and hungry animals were ready to be let into the arena. It will be unlike any experience you’ve ever had, equipped with an audio guide in English, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese and French.

Erected by Emperor Nero in 64AD, the Domus Aurea , also known as the Golden House, was an opulent imperial residence that sprawled from the Palatine Hill to the Colle Oppio and Caelius Mountain. At its peak, the Domus boasted gardens, woods, and even artificial lake, statues hailing from Greece and Asia Minor, gold and marble from Egypt and the Middle East, and even a grandiose, octagonal chamber with a domed roof graced the grounds. The palace was inhabited until it was damaged in 104 AD by a wildfire. Legendary artists of the Renaissance, Raphael among them, made pilgrimages to the site, studying and later recreating the Domus’s motifs and designs in their own work. Fast forward to the present century: after extensive renovation, the palace finally opened its gates to visitors in 2014 offering virtual reality tours . With the aid of visual headsets, the 3D, multimedia experience provides a glimpse into how the Domus looked in its heyday, resurrecting Nero’s elaborate frescoes.

The Next Museum , one of the newest cultural centers in Rome, situated just a 10 minute walk from the famous Villa Borghese Gardens , presents Van Gogh Experience , a virtual reality experience dedicated to the famous dutch painter, Vincent Van Gogh . Visitors can purchase the oculus goggles for three euros to see a completely different kind of world as if looking through the artist’s very eyes. Don’t miss the interactive room, where you’re confronted by wall-to-wall projections set to the thrum of passionate, emotional classical music.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

In Rome, we walk by hidden treasures everyday without giving them a second thought; however, the unassertive yet noble  Palazzo Valentini’s Domus Romane is a must-see you should not ignore. The main floor is open to the public and uncovers the Domus Romane – the archeological remains of homes belonging to the wealthy families of Imperial Rome. The virtual tour is a mix of history and wonder: exquisite relics of finely detailed mosaic floors to colossal marble columns, and vast kitchens to private saunas are displayed beneath your feet. The glass floors allow you to look down into the superior archeological relics while the enchanting lighting and knowledgeable guide bring them back to life. The comprehensive tour walks you through the design of the Trajan column, as well as the history of the Roman Empire, tempting you to visit the real thing just outside.

When visiting the Baths of Caracalla it is now possible to fully relive the ancient splendour that characterised this fascinating archaeological site. In fact, with the 4D virtual tour , designed especially for the Baths of Caracalla, visitors will be able to jump time barriers: wearing special visors they will be able to go back to 216 A.D., when Emperor Caracalla, of the Severan dynasty, inaugurated these majestic Baths. Thanks to technology and advanced geolocation systems, visitors will be able to see the original version of the complex reconstructed in 4D, with truly extraordinary results.

Who among us has never wished to take a trip back in time to discover how a place looked centuries and centuries ago? Thanks to the exhibition Imperial Rome – Virtual Reality Bus , it will be possible to admire, on board a small electric bus, the three-dimensional reconstruction of the ancient monuments of the Capital. This is a 3D immersive experience tour , due to special “visor free” VR technology. All reconstructions of the architecture are enjoyed directly on OLED screens superimposed on the windows of the bus. All of this is supported by sounds, music and an integrated fragrance emission system, in order to ensure a truly immersive experience. The approximately 30-minute route will wind through the heart of Rome’s historic center, from the Imperial Forums to the Colosseum, from the Palatine Hill to the Circus Maximus to the Theater of Marcellus.

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The Virtual Reality Bus website indicates that the bus will no longer run after 28 February 2023. I will be in Rome in March. Is there a similar tour available then?

Hello Dyanne, not at moment. But you can have a look at the Colosseum in VR here: romeing.it/shop/product-tag/virtual-reality/

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LIVE TOURS › ANCIENT ROME › ANCIENT ROME Virtual Reality Tour

ANCIENT ROME Virtual Reality Tour

Discover and explore the colosseum gladiators, animals fights and… virtual reality be ready to enjoy, have fun and learn travelling back in time.

GOOD TO KNOW

• 2.5/3 hrs approx.
• Daily Except for the first Sunday of the month
• 10AM – 3.00PM (flexible upon request)
• SKIP THE LINE TO ALL SITES
• Use of goggles (only outside)
• Colosseum (inside)
• Arch of Costantine
• Roman Forum (Arch of Titus, Temple of Julius Caesar, etc.)
• PRIVATE and SMALL GROUPS

3D glasses are not allowed inside the Colosseum/Forum for security reasons.  Introduction to the Colosseum outside using goggles, enter the Colosseum and climb up to the second tier, see the Arch of Constantine and use of goggles again. Enter the ancient Roman Forum, the Holy street and the Arch of Titus then an (easy) climb of the Palatine Hill to visit the ruins of Caesars’ Palace.

ROME !! You’ve watched movies about it, studied it in school, read about it in books, and now you are finally here! An  Ancient Rome VIRTUAL REALITY tour with GOGGLES  is   tailored to satisfy all your curiosity and have a complete immersion in the ancient Rome scenarios! The virtual reality points in our tour are carefully designed and chosen for you. While you will walk on the cobble stones of the Eternal City, we will show you reconstructions and 3d pictures using glasses. The city from where, more than 2000 years ago, the fate of a huge empire was decided by charismatic and unscrupulous emperors! You will see the marbles shining, the bronze statue of the emperor Nero intact! Games and Gladiators and temples as if they were never torned down! We studied only the most impressive and inspiring points of view to make you see the ancient city of Rome as it used to be. Follow us through more than 12 centuries of ancient Roman history reconstucted! During this ancient Rome walking virtual tour, you will literally BE there thanks to the glasses and the perfect and accurate reconstructions. You and your kids won’t believe your eyes! As you will be watching the 3d,  your expert guide will describe the environment for you like being in a guided tour…Somewhere else!

What will we see in the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Virtual Reality 3d Tour?

The use of the glasses is not permitted inside the archeological areas by law.

We designed a perfect itinerary for you to mix and match ancient remains and reconstructions. After we meet, we will use the googles for the first time watching the outside of the Colosseum and the surroundings. You will move at the same time in the real space and the virtual one with the best guides always at your side.

We studied the reconstructions and chose the best ones developed in collaboration with top notch archaeologists: this technological support will make your ancient Rome tour just amazing and unforgettable experience.

Next, we will enter the Colosseum like an ancient spectator , climb the stairs and reach the first tier! You will be struck by a spectacular view of the arena and your expert, local tour guide will make history come alive again! Imagine  gladiators  wounded by wild  lions  and  tigers , criminals skinned alive or fed to wild animals during  cruel executions . And finally, in the afternoon, bet (not for real!) on the gladiators fighting for their life.

After the exploration of the Flavian Amphiteatre , leave the stadium walk to the  Arch of Constantine , in 5 minutes you will arrive at the beating heart of the ancient world: the  Roman Forum .

Here there will be a second virtual reality stop to go deep into the Colosseum story and travel down to the Underground area to watch the cages where lions and gladiators were kept and to have the best introduction to the majesty of the Roman Forum. After watching the “piazza” of the past through your glasses, we will be back on the real world and enter the Roman Forum for real! During tour Roman Forum Tour with the help of our licensed guides you will easily imagine sellers trading goods, politicians speaking to the crowd, judges sentencing criminals, teachers surrounded by their students. Be inspired by the beauty of the most important remains of antiquity: the  Temple of Saturn , the Tabularium façade, the ancient Senate house, the  Temple of Julius Cesar , the house of the Vestal Virgins and their Holy Fire. Walk through the “Via Sacra”, the holiest road in Rome, to reach the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine and the  Arch of Titus,  with its picture of the glorious  Jewish Menorah .

After this, a very easy walk will take us to the top of the  Palatine Hill , where the imposing remains of the  Imperial Palace  are still visible!

Don’t miss the opportunity to see the Ancient city with a different approach! Book your immersive 3D walking tour of Ancient Rome and the Colosseum!

PLEASE NOTE : from October to February Colosseum and Roman Forum will close at 4:30 PM.

• Small groups are available only at 3PM from June 1st to October 15th. On winter time: 10AM and 1.30PM. All groups are available only at 3PM from June 1st to October 15th. On winter time: 10AM and 1.30PM
• The googles will be sanitized before the tour and share with max 2 persons
• You’ll be in a group of max 8 pax
• The virtual reality technology will be used only OUTSIDE the Colosseum and OUTSIDE the Roman Forum for a minimum 30 minutes time. Virtual reality experience will be matched with real tour INSIDE Colosseum and Roman Forum.
• Your tour guide is  LICENSED and specialized in ROMAN HISTORY and VR technology use .
• The cost of the Colosseum entry tickets is NOT included in the tour guide fees. Buy your tickets and save your money!! The online procedure is very easy! After paying the deposit to secure the tour, we will send you the online booking procedure to get your admission tickets.
• Colosseum Tickets : The cost of entry tickets is NOT included in the guide fees. ADULTS:  18 euros CHILDREN under 18 do not pay entry tickets (just the  2 euro reservation fee).

We run only private tours.

We don’t run small groups.

We can accommodate time/day request according to our guides’ and entry tickets availability.

Final and detailed price will be provided after receiving your request from the contact form.

Starting price for a private tour 2,5 hrs for 2 adults: 350 euro + tickets but definitive price is provided *only* upon request. Price can be reduced during low season or increased during holiday, peak dates or last minute request.

For group larger than four, price will be provided upon request.

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Take a Tour Through Ancient Rome with Stunning 3D Reconstruction

​​One of the marvels of visiting an ancient city like Rome is seeing the incredible dichotomy of storied history and modern life. The iconic, centuries-old structures, nestled in with the cafe chains and flashing pharmacy signs. There’s a McDonald’s right down the street from the Trevi Fountain. Another just a few blocks from the Pantheon. For tourists, especially those coming from the US, where even the oldest preserved structures are only hundreds of years old, it’s a little jolting. And mesmerizing.

Walking through Rome, you can’t help but wonder what it would’ve looked like to trod these same streets centuries ago. The folks at History in 3D are giving us a glimpse of what the city looked like at the height of the Roman Empire. In aerial form, no less.

The eight-minute video takes viewers through a reconstruction of Ancient Rome of 4 AD. (We first saw this at Laughing Squid .) While we’ve seen several reconstructions of Rome over the years—from history textbooks to documentaries—this is certainly one of the more impressive. And according to the History in 3D duo, it’s still a work in progress. In the video description the two write, “Our goal is to create the most extensive, detailed and accurate virtual 3D reconstruction of Ancient Rome.”

In the video we get glimpses of several iconic Roman structures—including the Forum and Colosseum. As they would’ve looked in their glory days, no less. And not a McCafé in sight! Additionally, we also see notable facets of Ancient Roman life, from the bathhouses and theaters to, of course, the palaces.

From the aerial reconstruction, the city looks stunning. Although we do know that a gloriously-constructed building doesn’t mean it was also a bit gnarly in everyday life. (We’re looking at you Ancient Roman latrines .)

Still, though, this video is certainly not a bad jaunt through the Eternal City. 

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Colosseum Self Guided Tour with 3D Virtual Reality Experience

Prepare yourself to be immersed in the grandeur of ancient Rome with our exclusive Colosseum skip-the-line, self-guided virtual reality tour. Dive into the heart of one of the most iconic architectural marvels ever built and experience its history like never before.

Experience Ancient Rome Through Interactive 3D

Imagine yourself standing amidst the hustle and bustle of the heart of ancient Rome, witnessing the mighty Colosseum in all its glory. Our cutting-edge virtual reality tour brings the Colosseum’s captivating history to life. Experience the Colosseum in a fully animated and interactive 3D reconstruction, complete with gripping audio commentary.

Stroll the square, feel the adrenaline of the gladiators on the arena floor, and listen to the ferocious roars of lions echoing through the corridors. Then, head below to the mysterious underbelly of the Colosseum, where slaves and gladiators once prepared for epic spectacles.

Marvel at the Majestic Colosseum

Built to accommodate between 50,000 to 75,000 spectators, the Colosseum stands as a testament to the grandeur of Rome. Our virtual reality tour allows you to skip the line and explore the Colosseum intimately. Relive the moments of greatest glory and visualize the iconic symbol of Rome as it was centuries ago.

Extend Your Exploration to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Once you’ve completed your journey through the Colosseum, venture further to the ruins of the Roman Forum and the legendary Palatine Hill. Walk the same streets as Roman emperors, discover the site where Rome was founded, and marvel at the heart of the vast Roman Empire.

Journey with Us

Join us on an extraordinary journey through time. Immerse yourself in the grandeur of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Palatine Hill. Experience the history, the myths, and the glory of ancient Rome through our skip-the-line self-guided virtual reality tour.

Experience the grandeur and history of Rome as it unfolds before your eyes. Unveil the secrets of the ancient world with our exclusive virtual reality tour. Book your journey through time today.

• Interactive 3D reconstruction of life in ancient Rome.
• Detailed history of the Colosseum, Rome’s iconic symbol.
• Guided exploration of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
• Oculus VR headset, providing the highest quality VR experience.
• Audio commentary in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, or Italian (chosen during the booking process).
• Samsung S7 rental and English-speaking VR assistant to enhance your virtual journey.
• Skip-the-line entrance tickets to the Colosseum , Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill.
• Comprehensive third-party insurance for peace of mind.
• Live guide.
• Access to the Underground , Arena Floor, and the Third Ring.
• Personal expenses and gratuities.
• Transportation to and from the venue.

Free cancellation up to 1 day before tour starts.

from €18.00 EUR Closest Date: September 17 Validity:  24-hour  Seller: Parco archeologico del Colosseo

from €1200.00 EUR Duration:  3.5 Hours  Organized by: Enjoy Rome

from €260.00 EUR Duration: 7 Hours  Seller: Musement

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Take a Tour Through Ancient Rome with Stunning 3D Reconstruction

​​One of the marvels of visiting an ancient city like Rome is seeing the incredible dichotomy of storied history and modern life. The iconic, centuries-old structures, nestled in with the cafe chains and flashing pharmacy signs. There’s a McDonald’s right down the street from the Trevi Fountain. Another just a few blocks from the Pantheon. For tourists, especially those coming from the US, where even the oldest preserved structures are only hundreds of years old, it’s a little jolting. And mesmerizing.

Walking through Rome, you can’t help but wonder what it would’ve looked like to trod these same streets centuries ago. The folks at History in 3D are giving us a glimpse of what the city looked like at the height of the Roman Empire. In aerial form, no less.

The eight-minute video takes viewers through a reconstruction of Ancient Rome of 4 AD. (We first saw this at Laughing Squid .) While we’ve seen several reconstructions of Rome over the years—from history textbooks to documentaries—this is certainly one of the more impressive. And according to the History in 3D duo, it’s still a work in progress. In the video description the two write, “Our goal is to create the most extensive, detailed and accurate virtual 3D reconstruction of Ancient Rome.”

In the video we get glimpses of several iconic Roman structures—including the Forum and Colosseum. As they would’ve looked in their glory days, no less. And not a McCafé in sight! Additionally, we also see notable facets of Ancient Roman life, from the bathhouses and theaters to, of course, the palaces.

From the aerial reconstruction, the city looks stunning. Although we do know that a gloriously-constructed building doesn’t mean it was also a bit gnarly in everyday life. (We’re looking at you Ancient Roman latrines .)

Still, though, this video is certainly not a bad jaunt through the Eternal City. 

The post Take a Tour Through Ancient Rome with Stunning 3D Reconstruction appeared first on Nerdist .

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Rome Reborn: A New 3D Virtual Model Lets You Fly Over the Great Monuments of Ancient Rome

in History , Technology | November 30th, 2023 1 Comment

Thir­teen years ago here on Open Cul­ture, we first fea­tured Rome Reborn 2.2 , a dig­i­tal 3D mod­el of the ancient metrop­o­lis at the height of its glo­ry in the fourth cen­tu­ry. And that rebirth has con­tin­ued apace ever since, and just last week bore the fruit of Rome Reborn 4.0, through which you can get a fly­ing tour in the video above . Inter­cut with the com­put­er-gen­er­at­ed recon­struc­tions is footage of the ruins of the very same parts of the city as they exist in Rome today. The oppor­tu­ni­ty for com­par­i­son thus pro­vid­ed allows us to appre­ci­ate not just the upgrades in the lat­est Rome Reborn’s lev­el of detail, but also its degree of real­ism.

With each revi­sion, the fourth-cen­tu­ry Eter­nal City recre­at­ed in Rome Reborn looks more like real­i­ty and less like a video game. But that does­n’t mean you can’t get the same thrill of explor­ing it that you would from a video game, which is part of the appeal of load­ing up the lat­est ver­sion of the mod­el on the vir­tu­al-real­i­ty app Yorescape , a prod­uct of the “vir­tu­al tourism” com­pa­ny Fly­over Zone Pro­duc­tions found­ed by Rome Reborn’s project leader Bernard Frisch­er.

And it is Frisch­er him­self who leads the in-app tour of “sites exem­pli­fy­ing the city’s geog­ra­phy, mar­kets, tem­ples, and much, much more,” enriched by “Time Warps spread around the city that allow you to tog­gle between the view today and the view from the same van­tage point in antiq­ui­ty.”

This is heady stuff indeed for enthu­si­asts of ancient Rome, who will no doubt be eager to see for them­selves the new and improved dig­i­tal mod­els of ancient Roman struc­tures like the Cir­cus Max­imus, the Arch of Titus, the Por­ti­cus Livi­ae, and the Tem­ple of Min­er­va. These and many oth­ers besides appear in the Rome Reborn 4.0 demo reel just above , which shows off the cul­mi­na­tion of 27 years of work so far by Frisch­er and his team. A dig­i­tal archae­ol­o­gist at Indi­ana Uni­ver­si­ty, Pro­fes­sor Frisch­er has point­ed out still-absent fea­tures to come, such as “avatars infused with AI” with whom the twen­ty-first-cen­tu­ry tourist can inter­act. We’ll have to wait for future iter­a­tions to do so, but sure­ly we can sum­mon the patience by remem­ber­ing that Rome isn’t reborn in a day.

Relat­ed con­tent:

An Ani­mat­ed Recon­struc­tion of Ancient Rome: Take A 30-Minute Stroll Through the City’s Vir­tu­al­ly-Recre­at­ed Streets

A Huge Scale Mod­el Show­ing Ancient Rome at Its Archi­tec­tur­al Peak (Built Between 1933 and 1937)

The Chang­ing Land­scape of Ancient Rome: A Free Online Course from Sapien­za Uni­ver­si­ty of Rome

An 8‑Minute Ani­mat­ed Flight Over Ancient Rome

The Old­est Known Pho­tographs of Rome (1841–1871)

High-Res­o­lu­tion Walk­ing Tours of Italy’s Most His­toric Places: The Colos­se­um, Pom­peii, St. Peter’s Basil­i­ca & More

Based in Seoul,  Col­in M a rshall  writes and broad­cas ts on cities, lan­guage, and cul­ture. His projects include the Sub­stack newslet­ter   Books on Cities ,  the book  The State­less City: a Walk through 21st-Cen­tu­ry Los Ange­les  and the video series  The City in Cin­e­ma . Fol­low him on Twit­ter at  @colinm a rshall  or on  Face­book .

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Thank you for this appre­cia­tive review! –Bernard Frisch­er

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Soar over ancient Rome's temples, brothels and baths in epic new 3D reconstruction

A newly-launched 3D model of ancient Rome lets viewers experience the city as it was in its heyday in the fourth century.

A new interactive 3D reconstruction of ancient Rome is giving viewers the opportunity to virtually transport themselves back in time and explore the capital of the Roman Empire as it was during its heyday.

Called Rome Reborn: Flight over Ancient Rome , the digital model presented by Flyover Zone, an educational technology company, offers both a bird's-eye view and on-the-ground perspectives of ancient Rome and its many historical monuments, including the Colosseum , Pantheon, Baths of Caracalla and the Roman Forum, as they may have appeared in A.D. 320, right before the capital city was moved to Constantinople , which was later followed by the fall of the Western Roman Empire , according to a statement.

At its prime, Rome would have had a population of 1 million — making it one of the most populous cities in Europe — and a skyline peppered with approximately 7,000 buildings spread across 5.3 square miles (13.7 square kilometers).

Related: Ruins of ancient Roman emperor Nero's theater unearthed in 'exceptional' discovery in Rome  

This virtual version of the city is decades in the making and is the brainchild of Bernard Frischer , a digital archaeologist at the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering at Indiana University Bloomington. Frischer initially came up with the idea in 1974 while he was the Rome Prize Fellow in Classics at the American Academy in Rome.

During his studies, Frischer visited the Museum of Roman Civilization and saw a physical model of ancient Rome. He knew he could make a better, computerized version himself.

"I remember looking down from a balcony at the physical model while in Rome and taking photos of it," Frischer told Live Science. "I used this as the inspiration for the reconstruction and I thought it would be nice if I could digitize it."

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Over the course of several decades, Frischer worked with a team of archaeologists and historians to ensure that his replica was accurate while also consulting a variety of historical texts that recorded what the capital of the Roman Empire would have looked like in fourth century Europe. He also worked with engineers who scanned the original museum model, which served as the groundwork for the digital city, which is on a scale of 1-to-25.

Frischer described the entire research process as "tedious" but in the end, the project was worth the effort.

"I looked at old site plans and photographs of ruins and put it all together," Frischer said. "I wanted to have a visualization to bring people up to speed to see what the city would've looked like instantly. In two hours of exploration, people today will know more than what a PhD student would've known in the 1970s."

The first version of Rome Reborn launched in 2007 followed by two subsequent versions released in 2008 and 2018. For the new, fourth version, which launched Wednesday (Nov. 8), the team added in new and updated recreations of some of the monuments that weren't included in previous versions, such as the Baths of Caracalla, the temples on the Capitoline Hill, the Stadium of Domitian (modern-day Piazza Navona) and the theaters of Balbus, Marcellus and Pompey the Great. 

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"I hope that people's curiosity is aroused and that they start the process of falling in love with antiquity in general, but to the city of Rome specifically," Frischer told Live Science. "I want people to see the beauty and the grandeur and the innovation of ancient Rome. It was above and beyond other cities during that time."

Rome Reborn: Flight over Ancient Rome version 4.0 is currently available for download . Flyover Zone also offers 13 other virtual tours on Yorescape.com, including the Acropolis in Athens and the Tomb of Ramesses VI in Egypt. Normally an annual subscription is $49.99 but for the Nov. 8 launch, the Yorescape app is offering a free, one-week trial subscription.

Jennifer Nalewicki is a Salt Lake City-based journalist whose work has been featured in The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, Scientific American, Popular Mechanics and more. She covers several science topics from planet Earth to paleontology and archaeology to health and culture. Prior to freelancing, Jennifer held an Editor role at Time Inc. Jennifer has a bachelor's degree in Journalism from The University of Texas at Austin.

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© 2024 History in 3D

What is our “Rome in 3D” project in general? Broadly speaking, it is an attempt to give you an opportunity to take a look at Rome as it really was, by the eyes of humans who lived there in that time. Due to this, we are already paying much attention (and will proceed) to the level of details, adding realistic materials, colors, visual and weather effects. That’s why we are concentrating just on the center of the Rome for now, just to focus on quality and details.

Now we are planning to add a little additional territory (such as Circus Maximus, Velabrum area), and release our project as a 3d walkthrough application. I hope we will be able to complete it in a year approximately.

Boasting some impressive in-video lighting features, the animation focuses on the monumental scale that was flaunted by Rome during its apical architectural stage. And furthermore according to  the animators of this video – this movie is just a promo, with the entire scope (which took years to animate) to be inducted into a game engine that would be accessible to the interested people.

The « History in 3D » creative team continues working on a virtual reconstruction of ancient Rome. Our goal is to carry out this project at a new qualitative level using modern available data and technical capabilities. Some time ago, three video trailers about Rome in 3D reconstruction have already been released on our YouTube channel, representing the various stages of work on the reconstruction. Since the recent video was released, a lot of work has been done to update and expand the content, and we believe that the project has been transformed crucially and reached a new level of quality.

Here, our 3rd trailer about Colosseum district:

This VR Bus Takes You On A Tour Of Ancient Rome

Go 2,000 years back in time on the Virtual Reality Bus .

Whoever said time travel wasn’t possible hasn’t heard of the Virtual Reality Bus, a 16 passenger transportation vehicle operated by Invisible Cities that uses powerful 3D technology to transport you back in time for a 30-minute ride through Rome during its heyday. 

What makes this immersive experience so unique is that there are no headsets. Instead, Invisible Cities uses large transparent 4K OLED screens installed in front of each window on the bus to deliver immersive 3D content.

Using the curtains attached to each “window” this Magic School Bus of sorts teleports you back in time to ancient Rome. At least that what it looks like to the passengers inside. When the curtains are raised, passengers see a modern day view of their surroundings. When lowered, they’re instantly transported 2,000 years in the past to ancient Rome.

This isn’t just a visual experience. The VR Bus incorporates other elements to really sell the experience. Along with the 4K OLED screens, the bus is also equipped with a three-axis accelerometer, a magnetometer, a velocimetry, and a surface laser that all come together to capture every bump, turn, and speed the bus is moving, and incorporate it into the virtual experience.

Digital speakers inside of the bus help deliver a realistic audio experience that makes you think you’re driving through a crowd of ancient Romans, while a network of small vents deliver smells like frankincense, myrrh, charcoal, Guaita wood, birch, and vetiver grass as your drive past Temples, and hints of metallic aldehydes, civic musk, and cumin as you pass the Colosseum. 

“The VR Bus project will allow visitors to literally immerse themselves in the history of Rome,” said the city’s mayor Roberto Gualtieri, who described the experience as a “one-of-a-kind initiative” that will take tourists and Roman residents “on a journey to discover Rome’s past.”

Another thing to mention is that the Virtual Bus is also an electric bus, so it’s totally sustainable! 

Invisible Cities VR Bus tours are available now and run every 40 minutes between 4:20PM and 7:40PM and last 30 minutes. English language tours are available at 5:00PM, 6:20PM and 7:40PM. All other tours are in Italian. 

Tickets cost €16 and can be purchased online or at the ticket booth at Trajan’s Column.  Children younger than six ride for free.

Image Credit: Invisible Cities

About the Scout

Bobby Carlton

Hello, my name is Bobby Carlton. When I'm not exploring the world of immersive technology, I'm writing rock songs about lost love. I'd also like to mention that I can do 25 push-ups in a row.

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Roman Forum Virtual Tour: Inside Ancient Rome

Recreate the splendours of the ancient world from home with our virtual tour of the iconic Roman Forum

• tour overview
• tour description
• tour reviews

duration 1.5 hours

Tour Overview

Embark on an unforgettable journey into ancient Rome with our expert guide Caterina on this virtual tour of the Roman Forum. If you’re like us and can’t wait to get travelling again, then join Caterina to follow in the virtual footsteps of the mighty emperors and great orators wrote themselves into history in the beating heart of the ancient city. Our live webinar will give you a complete picture of ancient Rome: marvel at the beautiful architecture of innumerable temples, get the inside story of the intrigues and assassinations that rocked antiquity, and discover why the Eternal City was the greatest metropolis in the ancient world - all from the comfort of your own home! If the day of the week or start time of this group tour doesn't work for you, please email us at [email protected] to arrange a suitable alternative date.

• Live webinar broadcast from Rome
• Immersive presentation by licensed guide Caterina
• In-depth virtual exploration of the Forum
• Videos, photos and virtual reconstructions make the Forum come alive
• Have your questions answered in a live Q and A

• The Temple of Julius Caesar
• The House of the Vestal Virgins
• The Arch of Titus
• The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina
• The Rostrum
• The Temple of Saturn

Tour Description

Meet your guide: caterina.

Hi I'm Caterina. I am a licensed guide of the city of Rome, and have been working with Through Eternity Tours since 2010. I was born and raised in Rome, where I've lived most of my life. I received a degree in Art History from Rome Tre University, where I specialised in Renaissance and Baroque art. I speak English, German and Italian fluently.

What Exactly is a Through Eternity Virtual Tour?  

The world of travel might be on hold right now, but just because we're all staying at home to help the world overcome a common enemy doesn't mean we have to put our wanderlust on the back burner. Frustrated with not being able to get our travel fix, we decided to transform our award-winning tours into immersive virtual experiences, meaning you can still explore Italy’s spectacular archaeological sites and jaw-dropping museums from the comfort of your own home.  

* Please note that the booking times are in US Eastern Standard Time and Rome, Italy CET is 6 hours ahead *

Fun and informative , our virtual tours take the form of online  real-time presentations  led by our  expert guides . Combining videos, high-definition photos and more, our guides will be sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience with you on these interactive walkthroughs of Italy’s most fascinating sites. The  live format  of our virtual tours means you’ll be able to ask your guide anything you wish, just like on a normal tour. We really believe it's the next best thing to being here!

As a sign of our gratitude to those who are on the front line fighting the Coronavirus, we would be more than happy to invite all first responders , health workers and NHS workers to join our Virtual Tours for free. Please message our office staff directly!

Please note that the proceeds from our online tours go directly to our guides, providing them with a valuable lifeline in these tough times for the world of travel. Thank you for your support!  

Embark on a journey to ancient Rome on our virtual Forum tour  

If you want to understand what Rome was like in antiquity, then you need to get to grips with the Roman Forum . The political heart of ancient Rome , history is alive in this complex labyrinth of temples , buildings and cobbled streets . Join our resident expert  Caterina  on a journey of discovery back to the heyday of the bustling ancient metropolis, which incredibly reached a population of one million inhabitants in the first century AD.

On our virtual exploration of the Roman Forum, Caterina will help you piece together this fascinating puzzle of ruins . We'll start our journey with the earliest Roman settlements here in the bronze age, before tracing the Forum's story as it rose in importance to become the most significant meeting place in the ancient world. Learn about the Romans from all walks of life who lived and worked here; meet the politicians and orators who made their mark in the ancient senate , and learn about the dictators and emperors who forged the ancient world’s greatest empire.

Relive the intrigues of antiquity and learn how the city’s denizens bid an emotional farewell to the assassinated Julius Caesar as he burned on his funeral pyre in 44BC, plunging the empire into civil war. Learn too of Cicero , decapitated here in the bloody aftermath, executed as an enemy of the state with his hands, tongue and head nailed to the Rostrum as a warning.

You’ll also get the lowdown on the complex world of Rome’s pagan religions as we reconstruct magnificent temples like the Temple of Saturn . Learn about the privileged yet often tragic lives of the Vestal Virgins whose task it was to keep the city’s eternal flame forever lit, and discover the dark fate that awaited priestesses who broke their solemn vows of chastity .

As we continue our virtual stroll through the Forum, we’ll relive the triumphal parades that took place on the Via Sacra and decipher the carvings on the magnificent Arch of Titus , which vividly depict the brutal triumphs of the Roman Empire in Jerusalem - including the plundering of its priceless Temple, whose spoils paid for the Colosseum.

Thanks to videos and high-resolution photographs, virtual reconstructions and, above all, the expertise of our expert guide, we believe that our virtual tour of the Roman Forum is the next best thing to being there in person. So join Caterina today, and scratch that travel itch from the comfort of your own home!

Tour Reviews

4.9 (10 reviews)

Being born in Tivoli, not far from Rome, I believed that I would not discover many new things about this city during the virtual tour. But I soon had to change my mind: Caterina was absolutely brilliant, I was impressed! She told many curious, exciting aspects about Rome in a very pleasant way, putting everyone at ease. It was a beautiful moment of escape from everyday life. I can't wait to go back to Rome and visit it with her.

Beatrice - Feb 03, 2021

Caterina was an excellent tour guide to the Roman Forum and its famous ruins. She had excellent visual aids that helped us see what the Forum looked liked and how it functioned at its peak. Her explanations were clear, concise, and fascinating, with just the right amount of background. We highly recommend her tour!

Nadine - Jan 22, 2021

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