The new project from Google Arts & Culture concerns an iconic monument of Italy: the Milan Cathedral. The virtual tour of one of the main symbols of the Lombard capital has been online for a few hours: it is possible to visit every part, as usual, using Street View technology. There are many other activities, initiatives and information to discover about the cathedral, as well as activities for children – puzzles for the stained glass windows and a “coloring book” dedicated to the central rose window. There is no shortage of quizzes and an in-depth analysis of the history of the document, presented in a simple, intuitive and never boring way. To start exploring, simply head to the SOURCE link at the bottom of the article.
However, one of the most important aspects that the initiative focuses on are the famous stained glass windows del Duomo: created by master glassmakers hundreds of years ago, they are a long series of images that tell the story of Christianity. One of the most attractive and surprising parts of the Duomo, but handicapped by the location – most of the images are so high that it has been impossible to see them up close for centuries. Google has paid particular attention to the digitization of this part, so that everyone (scholars and historians included, of course!) Can explore every inch of it via their computer or mobile device.
Google explains that it has employed cutting-edge technology and has made one partnership with the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo, the (secular) organization that has been overseeing everything related to the monument for over 600 years – from its construction many years ago to its maintenance, preservation and restoration where necessary nowadays. Google explains that the process of “digitizing” the Duomo and its fifty windows (for a total of over 2,000 individual panels / images) took almost three years of work.
The content can be explored via the website (link in SOURCE, in fact) or via the official Arts & Culture app for Android and iOS. We leave the download links below:
- Google Arts & Culture | Android | Google Play Store, Free
- Google Arts & Culture | iOS | Apple App Store, Free
