OFFICIAL PROJECT PRESENTATION ON BEHALF OF THE HOLY ARCHDIOCESE OF ATHENS

The project “Digital Guided Tours of Religious Cultural Heritage Monuments in the Historical Center of Athens” aimed to highlight 32 of the most significant religious monuments in Greece using digital technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and 3D visualization.

The project and its outcomes were presented during a special event held on December 12, 2024, in the Ceremonial Hall of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), with the participation of all implementation stakeholders.

The project, funded by the Operational Program “Digital Transformation” 2021-2027 of the NSRF 2021-2027, was led by the Holy Archdiocese of Athens. Implementation was undertaken by ADAPTIT, one of Greece’s leading systems integrators with extensive experience in digital projects, in collaboration with the NKUA, which provided scientific supervision, and COMIC (Content Management In Culture).

“This digital tour of 32 historic holy churches of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens is not merely a virtual journey. It is an invitation to all of us—a call to return to our roots, to the places where the heart of Christianity has beat for centuries. Through digital imagery, we can spiritually experience the history of Athens and its religious life. This is a reverent pilgrimage aimed at all ages, especially those unable to visit physically, as well as younger generations familiar with modern digital technology. We cannot call people closer to us without speaking the language of today, and one of the modern means of communication is the digital image, which, when used thoughtfully, becomes an effective tool for conveying the message of our Church,” noted His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece in his message to the event attendees.

The project’s goal is to offer digital tours of 32 important religious monuments, rich in cultural and touristic interest, located in the historical center of Athens. Using cutting-edge digital technologies, the project enhances the existing Religious Tourism Destination platform.

Among the monuments available for digital tours are some of the most significant and well-known religious landmarks, including:

Church of St. Catherine (Plaka)
Church of St. Irene (Aiolou Street)
Church of St. Marina in Thiseio
Church of St. George in Karytsi Square
Church of St. Demetrius Loumbardiaris
Church of Saints Anargyroi (Psirri)
Church of Asomaton Petraki (Catholicon)
Church of the Virgin Mary Chrysokastriotissa near the Acropolis
Church of St. Dionysius the Areopagite
Church of the Life-Giving Spring (Academias Street)
Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, Metropolitan Cathedral

“This project holds special significance as it showcases the rich religious heritage of our country in a new and innovative way. Through technologies such as VR and 3D visualization, we can now offer a unique experience to people worldwide,” said Athanasios Tzaferis, CEO of ADAPTIT.

As part of the project, the following were developed for the selected 32 monuments:

3D models created using laser scanner and photogrammetry techniques, showcasing both the exterior and interior of the monuments.
Digital tours for on-site visitors via their mobile devices.
Online virtual reality tours (web VR & VR headsets) accessible via computers and VR devices.
Detailed (5-7 minutes) and brief (1-2 minutes) narrative videos of the monuments, available in five languages (Greek, English, French, German, and Russian).

To ensure the above, comprehensive historical research, scientific documentation, and tour descriptions were prepared by Christos Karagiannis, Vice Rector for Administrative Affairs, Student Welfare, and Lifelong Learning at NKUA. These were translated into five languages, written in an accessible style for people of all ages and educational backgrounds.

“In this project, we aimed to convey knowledge and insights about 32 historic holy churches of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens through virtual tours. The historical research uncovered unknown aspects of these churches while highlighting their role in the Christian and social life of Athens, linking them to pivotal moments in the city’s history. Considering that this project serves as a legacy for the local Church and future generations, we sought to make the scientific information and narrative accessible to people of all ages and educational levels. This delicate balance, we believe, makes the project approachable to everyone and offers an innovative invitation for a digital tour of the sacred spaces of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens,” stated Professor Christos Karagiannis, Vice Rector for Administrative Affairs, Student Welfare & Lifelong Learning at NKUA.

The project utilized state-of-the-art technologies from leading global manufacturers, including NVIDIA, which highlighted the project in its highly popular blog.

All videos created as part of this initiative are available on the official YouTube channel of the Archdiocese for Religious Tourism.