From Temple to Cathedral – Ortigia Cathedral

Making visible and understandable the exceptional architectural stratification of Ortigia Cathedral, where Greek, Byzantine, Norman and Baroque elements coexist within the same monumental space. The project aims to provide the tools to decipher the identity of this UNESCO heritage site, translating archaeological accuracy into visual models capable of showing thousand-year-old structures now embedded and hidden within the building’s inner walls.

A multimedia experience in Location-Based Experience (LBE) format, made up of a single continuous piece of virtual reality content, to be enjoyed entirely inside the Cathedral itself. Experienced on site and supported by high-definition 4K visual and audio technology, it uses spectacular digital construction time-lapses to show, in real time, the monument’s evolution and physical changes over the centuries.

Dynamic heritage outreach: Using headsets makes it possible to decode complex architecture, clearly showing the layering of historical periods directly inside the monument, for both tourists and school groups.
Celebrating local identity: The philologically accurate reconstruction deepens the site’s symbolic significance, highlighting the city’s deep connection with the thousand-year-old cult of Saint Lucy.
A prime location: A technological installation set up directly inside Ortigia Cathedral, enriching the live visit by providing an immediate, visually striking, philologically grounded key to interpretation.