Google is working with curators and other experts in order to create a virtual tour of the Great Wall of China, letting users who’ve never been there experience it accurately and up close.
The initiative, labelled “Walk the Great Wall”, is an undertaking accomplished by the Google Arts and Cultures Program; an initiative designed to make cultural heritage, museum artifacts, art galleries, and the like accessible by the general populace. It’s an initiative that’s gained a lot more attention since the COVID pandemic, since travelling was for the most part banned. However, the initiative’s goal was mainly to cater to individuals that are typically unable to afford the expense that tickets and residence in places such as China, France, and the UK demand of them. We live in a technology based world, where all forms of intricate and sensitive information is very easily available. The world of art and literature is one that has no shortage of snobby, gatekeeping individuals. Initiatives such as the Arts and Cultures Program helps upend all of that unnecessary condescension, and gives art back to the masses. As much as it can, at least.
The Great Wall of China is easily one of the most, if not the most, recognizable man-made landmark in the entire world, perhaps even trumping monuments such as the Eiffel Tower and the Tower of Pisa. The legends around it are anywhere from awesome to just wild. To this day, people believe that the Wall can be viewed from the moon, and that its builders are buried underneath the bricks. Such stories have permeated across the centuries, buried them into the current collective consciousness, and have built a mythology of their own. The Great Wall is a marvel that should be experienced by users. Google’s attempting to ensure that this happens.
“Walk the Great Wall” is a collaborative project between the Arts and Cultures Program, Wall expert Dong Yaohui, and curators from the Gubei Water Town. It’s an impressive mission that these individuals have embarked upon, and displays an impressive final result. The virtual Great Wall can be viewed by users through a panoramic view of all of its different sections, supplemented by a 360-degree view from the watchtower. For more inquisitive users, messages and patterns carved into the walls are also available. The virtual experience is even accompanied by all the relevant information about the Great Wall, why it was built, its many secrets, and its importance in modern culture.
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The initiative, labelled “Walk the Great Wall”, is an undertaking accomplished by the Google Arts and Cultures Program; an initiative designed to make cultural heritage, museum artifacts, art galleries, and the like accessible by the general populace. It’s an initiative that’s gained a lot more attention since the COVID pandemic, since travelling was for the most part banned. However, the initiative’s goal was mainly to cater to individuals that are typically unable to afford the expense that tickets and residence in places such as China, France, and the UK demand of them. We live in a technology based world, where all forms of intricate and sensitive information is very easily available. The world of art and literature is one that has no shortage of snobby, gatekeeping individuals. Initiatives such as the Arts and Cultures Program helps upend all of that unnecessary condescension, and gives art back to the masses. As much as it can, at least.
The Great Wall of China is easily one of the most, if not the most, recognizable man-made landmark in the entire world, perhaps even trumping monuments such as the Eiffel Tower and the Tower of Pisa. The legends around it are anywhere from awesome to just wild. To this day, people believe that the Wall can be viewed from the moon, and that its builders are buried underneath the bricks. Such stories have permeated across the centuries, buried them into the current collective consciousness, and have built a mythology of their own. The Great Wall is a marvel that should be experienced by users. Google’s attempting to ensure that this happens.
“Walk the Great Wall” is a collaborative project between the Arts and Cultures Program, Wall expert Dong Yaohui, and curators from the Gubei Water Town. It’s an impressive mission that these individuals have embarked upon, and displays an impressive final result. The virtual Great Wall can be viewed by users through a panoramic view of all of its different sections, supplemented by a 360-degree view from the watchtower. For more inquisitive users, messages and patterns carved into the walls are also available. The virtual experience is even accompanied by all the relevant information about the Great Wall, why it was built, its many secrets, and its importance in modern culture.
Read next: Some spammy Android app developers are utilizing ads as a path to elude the Google Play Store, confidentially getting installed without the user's authorization