Now, explore Palace of Versailles in virtual reality: Here's how
What's the story
For art lovers, visiting King Louis XIV's centuries-old royal residence, the Palace of Versailles, is a dream come true. It's one of the most famous tourist attractions in the world. But, the thing is, not everyone gets a chance to visit France and the iconic Palace. Google understands this, and for that, it's giving a one-of-its-kind tour of the site in Virtual Reality (VR).
Tour
Largest photogrammetry project at Versailles Palace
The search giant's Arts & Culture team recently teamed up with the authorities at Versailles Palace to create a private virtual tour of the former home of French royalty. It touts this as the 'largest photogrammetry' project ever conducted at the Palace, one that allows users to explore as many as 21 of its rooms and an interior covering 387,500 square feet of area.
Feaures
Handle paintings, artworks, sculptures and more
The VR tour created by Google allows users to handle/inspect more than 200 works of art at the Palace, including sculptures, paintings, and artifacts. You will be able to walk around in the castle and look closely at the intricate detailing of the most emblematic rooms like the King and Queen's State Apartments, the Royal Opera House, Royal Chapel and the Hall of Mirrors.
Quote
Unlimited access to everything inside the historic Palace, says Google
"Tapestries, paintings, ceilings, sculptures and furniture, everything is within reach of your controller to grant you unlimited...access to Versailles," Google said about the VR experience. "For a more intimate experience, switch to night mode and explore the Palace by the light of chimney fires."
Process
How to explore the VR tour?
To explore the VR tour, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift users can download the 'VersaillesVR | the Palace is yours' Windows app from Steam. The app is free to use and has been complemented with an online exhibition, which provides access to over 390 historic collections from the Palace, objects, paintings, artifacts, as well as fun facts, stories, photos of famous rooms.