Chronos, an app that allows visitors to see how the the Acropolis and other Greek monuments looked 2 500 years ago, was recently launched by Greek telecoms provider, Cosmote, with the support of the Greek Ministry of Culture.
The app uses augmented reality to superimpose a digital image that shows visitors how the site would have looked at its prime, reports thenationalnews.com. It works on famous monuments including the Parthenon and other parts of the Acropolis, while providing interesting insights into the history of the ancient structures.
Chronos – Greek for time – allows visitors to see the Parthenon’s collection of missing marble sculptures, removed 200 years ago by the British, showing their once-vibrant colours.
“Accessibility is extending to the digital space,” said Lina Mendoni, who was then the Culture Minister of Greece, at a preview launch event for the Chronos app in May. “Real visitors and virtual visitors anywhere around the world can share historical knowledge.”
Designers said they would continue building on the free app, which has features such as an AI-powered virtual guide.
“As technologies and networks advance, with better bandwidth and lower latencies, mobile devices will be able to download even higher-quality content,” said Panayiotis Gabrielides, a senior official at Cosmote.