The Fabbrica di San Pietro, responsible for the conservation and maintenance of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, has partnered with Microsoft to create a digital twin of the renowned religious and architectural site.
The initiative allows for virtual exploration of the storied church, offering access to areas not typically open to visitors and allowing global audiences to experience the site remotely.
The project utilized drones, lasers and advanced photogrammetry to capture over 400,000 high-resolution images of the structure during a three-week period.
These images were processed by Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab in partnership with French photogrammetry experts Iconem to produce a millimeter-accurate 3D model.
The result was a highly detailed virtual replica of the building, designed to provide an immersive digital experience.
The digital twin offers new insights into previously inaccessible areas of St. Peter’s and highlights structural details that were not visible to the public.
It is an approach the team said not only supports virtual exploration but also provides a tool for preservation and restoration.
Early analysis of the model has identified areas of structural vulnerability and signs of erosion, offering a resource for ongoing conservation efforts.
By enabling virtual access, the project aims to broaden public engagement with the church, particularly for individuals unable to visit Rome, while introducing a new resource for studying the building’s history, structure and ongoing preservation requirements.
“Projects like this are important because it shows people the different ways in which applying this technology can bring value,” said Gartner analyst Tuong Nguyen. “We continue to need more of these use cases.”
He added the larger, and more profound, questions arising from complex digital twins and virtual tours are yet to be answered.
“It’s moving everything farther towards spatial computing, where instead of Web pages, you have Web spaces,” Nguyen said. “Beyond being very interesting and educational, it changes how we interact with the world around us.”
Other recent examples of virtual and augmented reality tours include a smartphone-based experience at the Humboldt Forum on Museum Island in Berlin and a Civil War-themed AR project in Pamplin Historical Park in Petersburg, Virginia.
Expanded Access to Cultural Sites
Brendan Ciecko, founder and CEO of Cuseum, said he is in full support of any initiatives that expand access to the world’s art and cultural heritage sites.
He explained projects like this digital twin of St. Peter’s Basilica, which use immersive technology and the latest advances in AI, have the potential to inspire people worldwide and set a new precedent for digital preservation, virtual tourism, and online education.
“This project will surely provide new channels of access and layers of meaning for those who might never have the chance to visit in-person or get close amidst the crowded nature of one of the world’s most popular landmarks,” Ciecko said.
He added digital twins like the one created for St. Peter’s Basilica, open unprecedented opportunities for accessibility by making this historic landmark available to anyone with an internet connection.
“This technology goes beyond just viewing images or reading about the site,” he said. “It enables visitors to experience the Basilica in a highly immersive, interactive way, which can deepen their appreciation of its architectural and historical significance.”
They can “walk” through intricate spaces, see details that are difficult to access in person, and engage with guided content, gaining insights they might otherwise miss.
“For those who may face physical, geographical, or financial barriers to visiting in person, this offers an inclusive way to explore, learn, and connect with the cultural heritage of the Basilica on a personal level,” Ciecko said.
Increasingly Real Experiences
As technologies like AI and photogrammetry advance, he predicted even more precise and lifelike renderings of historic sites would emerge allowing virtual visitors to interact with these spaces in ways that feel increasingly real.
“These platforms will likely integrate more personalized and educational layers, like AI-driven guides that adapt to the user’s interests and knowledge level, or real-time collaboration features for group tours or educational sessions,” he said.
Ciecko said he also sees virtual tourism and digital preservation converging, with institutions and developers working to preserve these digital representations for future generations.
This evolution will bring about new ways to appreciate and safeguard our shared heritage, making it an integral part of both cultural education and preservation.
“We’re just beginning to scratch the surface of what’s possible with digital twins and immersive experiences,” Ciecko said.
