The app, known as Chronos, employs augmented reality to overlay the historical representation of the site onto the screen, aligning seamlessly with the actual surroundings as you navigate.
Tourists visiting the Acropolis now have the opportunity to engage in one of the world’s most contentious debates on cultural heritage, all with the help of their smartphones.
With the aid of a smartphone app, visitors can virtually explore the ancient Greek site, complete with a digital overlay showcasing its original appearance. This includes marble sculptures removed from the Parthenon over two centuries ago, which are currently displayed in the British Museum in London—a point of contention between Greece and the UK.
Using an app supported by Greece’s Culture Ministry, visitors can point their smartphones at the Parthenon temple, causing the sculptures from London to reappear on the monument, as archaeologists believe they appeared 2,500 years ago. The app also reveals lesser-known details, such as the vibrant colors that once adorned many of the Acropolis’s sculptures and a statue of goddess Athena that once overlooked a shallow pool of water.
This virtual restoration is not limited to the Acropolis itself and could potentially spare visitors the arduous uphill climb and long lines to view the iconic monuments up close. It may also aid Greece in its campaign to transform its cities into year-round tourist destinations.
Tourism plays a crucial role in Greece’s economy, and despite challenges like wildfires, the industry has experienced significant growth since the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first seven months of 2023, the number of inbound visitors increased by 21.9% compared to the previous year, generating over 10.3 billion euros in revenue.
The app, known as “Chronos,” utilizes augmented reality (AR) to overlay the ancient depiction of the site onto a smartphone’s screen, matching the real-world view as visitors explore the area.
AR is now becoming more accessible to consumers and is poised to impact various professional and leisure activities. Medical surgery, military training, machine repair, retail, live events, and more are expected to benefit from AR technology. While companies like Meta and Apple are entering the VR headset market, the high costs will likely keep smartphones as the primary AR delivery platform for consumers for some time.
Maria Engberg, an expert in augmented and virtual reality, predicts that travel services will offer more integrated AR experiences in the future, enhancing tours with sharing options, overlaying archived photos and videos, and more.
The Greek Culture Ministry and national tourism authority are embracing technology to enhance accessibility to the country’s ancient monuments. In addition to the Chronos app, previous initiatives have included using video games and partnering with tech companies to offer immersive digital tours of historic sites.
The developers of the Chronos app, created by Greek telecoms provider Cosmote, aim to continue improving its features and accessibility. The app already features an AI-powered virtual guide named Clio, and as technology and networks advance, the quality of the content will likely improve.
Virtual reconstructions using Chronos extend beyond the Acropolis to cover three other monuments at the site, an adjacent Roman theater, and parts of the Acropolis Museum located at the base of the hill.
