Push Admin

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173132634135420241111111148_42e727213eba754666b182ba43949c053ebca288d977e9748f057dce5748c9e7.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="St. Peter&#x27;s Basilica, Vatican City. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">St. Peter&#x27;s Basilica, Vatican City. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>VATICAN CITY, Holy See — In an unprecedented move, the Vatican on Monday “virtually” opened to the world the iconic St Peter&#x27;s Basilica after unveiling its “digital twin” developed by Microsoft, providing extraordinary access to the religious landmark considered “the spiritual heart of Christianity.”</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s one of the largest projects of its kind Microsoft, or in my knowledge, any organization has ever been involved in,&quot; Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a press conference in Vatican City. </p><p>&quot;The [digital] portal is a true ecosystem within which different technologies converge and integrated,&quot; Cardinal Mauro Giambetti, Archpriest of St. Peter’s Papal Basilica in the Vatican, also said.</p><p>The top-level project, the cost of which remains undisclosed, comprises 2 components: an experiential website that houses the “digital twin” of the Basilica and 2 immersive exhibitions at the Basilica itself with opening dates yet to be announced.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1731320775474Screen Shot 2024-11-11 at 7.01.02 AM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A journalist explores the digital replica of St. Peter&#x27;s Basilica ahead of its launch. Jauhn Etienne Villaruel, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>The interactive website, which went live Monday, would allow audiences worldwide to “engage” with the Basilica and virtually go over its architecture, art, mosaics, sculptures, and other treasures, including sections and details that are nearly impossible to explore during in-person visit.</p><p>Microsoft collaborated with Iconem, a Paris-based tech company specializing in digitization of endangered cultural heritage sites, in creating an accurate digital replica of the St. Peter’s Basilica.</p><p>Father Enzo Fortunato, Director of Communications of the St. Peter’s Basilica, said the project showcases how “technology becomes a bridge between past and present, but also between the people.”</p><div><strong>DRONES FLOWN INSIDE THE BASILICA</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1731320741663Screen Shot 2024-11-11 at 11.25.11 AM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Yves Ubelmann, co-Founder and CEO of Iconem, explains how they created the digital twin of the St. Peter&#x27;s Basilica using a technique called photogrammetry. Jauhn Etienne Villaruel, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></strong></div><p>Yves Ubelmann, co-Founder and CEO of Iconem, said they considered themselves “lucky” to be tapped by Microsoft for the St. Peter’s Basilica project.</p><p>“We are focusing on the preservation of cultural heritage in the world. Sometimes, heritage is threatened by modern society… For us and all my team, this has been indeed a lucky moment,” he told reporters during a press preview on Nov. 9. Their studio has previously worked with international organizations, national governments, and museums from Paris, Doha, and Syria.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1731325774475st peters basilica 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">St. Peter&#x27;s Basilica, Vatican City. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>Ubelmann said most of the groundwork in creating the Basilica’s digital twin only started a year ago with “basically 5 people” from Iconem.</p><p>To digitally replicate the Basilica with all its intricacies, the Iconem team spent nearly 3 months in capturing over 400,000 high-resolution images using advanced photogrammetry techniques, with the use of devices such as drones, cameras and lasers, including in portions never before seen by the public.</p><p>Photogrammetry is a method of capturing thousands of images from multiple angles to create a 3D digital model.</p><p>“We basically covered the entire basilica,” he said, adding that they even flew drones inside the centuries-old structure.</p><p>“We have spent 45 days in collecting the pictures… [There were] 20 billion points, huge amount of data… There were many layers, detail.</p><p>As development in artificial intelligence speeds up, so is the completion of their work.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17313208472161731320842205.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Laura Hoffman, Senior Director of Microsoft&#x27;s AI for Good Lab in a press presentation on Nov. 10, 2024. Jauhn Etienne Villaruel, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>MICROSOFT’S AI FOR GOOD LAB</strong></div><div><br/></div><p><strong></strong>“When we were brought into this project, we were asked one big question: how do we use AI to create a digital experience that creates the same awe and inspiration that we all feel when we’re here, which is a tall order because this is a grand place,&quot; said Laura Hoffman, Senior Director of Microsoft&#x27;s AI for Good Lab.</p><p>AI for Good Lab is Microsoft&#x27;s research arm that focuses on<span data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" data-darkreader-inline-color="" id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;display:inline !important;--darkreader-inline-color:#bfb9b1;--darkreader-inline-bgcolor:#181a1b"> harnessesing the power of big data and Microsoft&#x27;s cloud.</span></p><p>For the Vatican project, the lab processed the data obtained by Iconem’s photogrammetry and refined the digital twin with &quot;millimeter-level accuracy. </p><p>Microsoft-developed AI algorithms filled in the gaps, enhanced the details, and created a seamless virtual reconstruction of the Basilica.</p><p>“To use AI this way is [to] totally bring out the best in humanity,&quot; <span data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" data-darkreader-inline-color="" id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;display:inline !important;--darkreader-inline-color:#bfb9b1;--darkreader-inline-bgcolor:#181a1b">Fortunato said.</span></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cc-dEN_PpsE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><style type="text/css" id="isPasted">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px 'Helvetica Neue'}
</style><div><br/></div>

<p>In an unprecedented move, the Vatican on Monday “virtually” opened to the world the iconic St Peter's Basilica after unveiling its “digital twin” developed by Microsoft. </p>

In an unprecedented move, the Vatican on Monday “virtually” opened to the world the iconic St Peter's Basilica after unveiling its “digital twin” developed by Microsoft.

Religion meets AI: Vatican, Microsoft unveil 'digital twin' of St. Peter’s Basilica

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Business

Religion meets AI: Vatican, Microsoft unveil 'digital twin' of St. Peter’s Basilica

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 11, 2024 08:00 PM PHT

|

Updated November 12, 2024 10:35 AM PHT

Read More:

Vatican

Holy See

Microsoft

AI

artificial intelligence

tech

technology

religion

Catholic Church

Iconem

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.