Google Offers A Virtual Tour of the Pyramids of Meroë

Google has launched of a new digital experience on Google Arts & Culture that will bring the world closer to the Pyramids of Meroë, which is the last capital of the Kushite Kingdom.

Viewers will be able to explore the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site in great detail by virtually walking through the structural wonders built more than two thousand years ago.

Viewers will see the city with over 200 pyramids in 3D and augmented reality (AR). The tour also allows viewers to zoom in on their inscriptions using Google’s Street View panoramic imagery. The experience is available in English, Arabic, German, French and Spanish, brings the pyramids closer by using augmented reality models Google launched specifically for the project.

In addition, UNESCO has dedicated curated content to learn more about Meroë’s archaeological site, Gebel Barkal and the sites of Napatan region, and Sanganeb Marine National Park.

The Meroë experience is Google’s latest effort to help share the culture and heritage of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with the world. The company has been digitalising imagery in virtual experiences for more than 20 historical landmarks and sites since 2013.

Google Arts & Culture, formerly known as the Google Art Project, is a non-profit initiative working with cultural institutions and artists globally to preserve the world’s art and culture, shifting them to online platforms for easier access.

Google has launched a promotional video, in partnership with UNESCO Sudan, to promote the Meroë experience, where you hear the words of Emi Mahmoud, the Sudanese–American poet, activist, author, and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador.

For the Meroë experience, visit https://artsexperiments.withgoogle.com/meroe/. It’s available only on the latest versions of Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge.