See Every Nook and Cranny of St. Peter’s Basilica With This New, Stunningly Accurate 3D Replica

People around the world can now explore St. Peter’s Basilica from the comfort of home via a 3D replica powered by artificial intelligence.

Released earlier this month, the virtual experience is the product of a collaboration between the Vatican and Microsoft, which cataloged every nook and cranny of the basilica, including parts that the public rarely sees, such as the papal tombs and artwork in the church’s dome.

Online users can skip the long wait to enter the physical basilica in Vatican City, instead taking guided tours on the life of St. Peter and the basilica’s history or virtually wandering around to whatever area of the site catches their eye.

The world's first 3D replica of St. Peter's Basilica, made with Microsoft AI

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Per a statement, experts at Iconem, a cultural heritage digitization start-up, spent three weeks using drones, cameras and lasers to capture more than 400,000 photographs of the basilica. 

After collecting the images, the team utilized A.I. algorithms to combine the photos into a comprehensive, three-dimensional model of the church. As the statement notes, tools developed by Microsoft’s A.I. for Good Lab “refined the digital twin with millimeter-level accuracy,” in addition to identifying deterioration and damage caused by high traffic and centuries of general wear and tear. The lab previously drew on similar technology to virtually transport visitors back in time to the site of the first Olympic Games, ancient Olympia, more than 2,000 years ago.

“This is an opportunity to use the power of artificial intelligence to see this basilica in a way that perhaps no previous generation has seen before,” says Smith in a statement quoted by Artnet News’ Richard Whiddington.

Construction of St. Peter’s Basilica began in 1506 under Pope Julius II and wrapped up 109 years later, under Paul V in 1615. The basilica is home to many artifacts of the Catholic Church, including the tombs of dozens of popes. The new digitization debuted ahead of the Vatican’s 2025 Jubilee, a special celebration of forgiveness and reconciliation that is expected to bring around 30 million people to Rome next year.

As Forbes’ Leslie Katz reports, Pope Francis, the current head of the Catholic Church, encouraged the Fabbrica di San Pietro, the organization that maintains the historic building, to “use the latest technologies to care for the basilica … both spiritually and materially.”

Francis has been a vocal proponent of ethical A.I., calling for “an open dialogue” on the subject in an August 2023 address.

“The urgent need to orient the concept and use of artificial intelligence in a responsible way, so that it may be at the service of humanity and the protection of our common home, requires that ethical reflection be extended to the sphere of education and law,” the pope said.

Editors’ note, November 26, 2024: This story has been updated to remove an inaccurate reference to the size of the photogrammetry data collected.

Olatunji Osho-Williams | READ MORE

Olatunji Osho-Williams is an intern with Smithsonian magazine.