See ancient Olympia as it looked 2,000 years ago using AI and AR
Microsoft and the Greek Ministry of Culture used cutting-edge technology to bring the past to life
In January 2020, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met Microsoft Chairman Brad Smith at the Davos Economic Forum. There they discussed the possibility of Microsoft investing in Greece and helping it present its cultural heritage in a new way, using modern technology.
On November 10, 2021, Mitsotakis unveiled the project that Microsoft and the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports had been working on for almost two years – “Ancient Olympia: Common Ground”. Using artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR), the two organizations enabled citizens and tourists to experience and see Olympia as it was over 2,000 years ago.
How to see Ancient Olympia
To travel back in time and see the beauty of ancient Greece, you simply have to download the Ancient Olympia mobile app which brings the monuments of Olympia to life through modern technologies. This new app will allow on-site visitors to navigate the area and experience the surroundings as they once were.
In addition to this, one can visit the website olympiacommongrounds.gr from anywhere in the world to explore ancient Olympia in 3D on their PC or tablet. Finally, Microsoft and the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports continued their collaboration to create a mixed reality exhibition at the Olympic Museum in Athens.
Ancient Olympia: common ground (Source: Ministry of Culture on Youtube)
Connecting the past to the present and the future
The Greek Prime Minister expressed his joy at the innovative digital project during its inauguration, noting that it is a big step not only for Greece but for the whole world. Specifically, Ancient Olympia: Common Grounds acts as evidence of how the use of modern technologies such as AI and AR can connect the past with the present and the future to give people a better understanding of our history.
Echoing this statement, Microsoft President Brad Smith shared: “The Ancient Olympia Digital Preservation Project is an important achievement in the field of cultural heritage promotion. It combines human factor and advanced technology and invites future generations to explore our past in a new way.
To see artwork from ancient Olympia, check out the gallery above.
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