Vatican, Microsoft, and AI Create World’s First 3D Replica of St. Peter’s Basilica

The Vatican and Microsoft on Monday unveiled a 3D digital twin of St Peter's Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world's most important monuments. This will help the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation issues.

The digital replica of the cathedral was created using 400,000 high-resolution digital photographs taken with drones, cameras and lasers over four weeks when no one was in the basilica, and is being made available online alongside two new on-site exhibits to provide visitors - real and virtual - with an interactive experience.

‘This is literally one of the most technologically advanced and complex projects of its kind ever undertaken,’ said Microsoft President Brad Smith at a press conference in the Vatican.

The ultra-precise 3D replica, developed in collaboration with digital preservation company Iconem, contains 22 petabytes of data - enough to fill five million DVDs, Smith said.

The images have already revealed structural damage and signs of deterioration, such as missing mosaic fragments, cracks and fissures invisible to the naked eye, at a speed and accuracy far beyond human capabilities.

Located in the Vatican City, St Peter's Basilica, which is over 400 years old, is one of the most famous churches in the world, revered for its breathtaking Renaissance and Baroque architecture. Famous architects such as Michelangelo and Bernini were involved in the design of the church, which took over 100 years to build.

Today, La Basilica d i San Pietro, a joint project of the Vatican, Iconem, and Microsoft, gives everyone full access to the Vatican's most famous church through immersive AI-powered exhibits and an interactive website.

‘Photogrammetry, artificial intelligence and digital preservation combine to create a digital twin of St Peter's Basilica with thousands of images, allowing visitors to explore it in detail from anywhere in the world,’ Microsoft said in a statement.

During the press conference dedicated to the presentation of Microsoft's project ‘St Peter's Basilica: An AI-Augmented Experience’, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Bishop of St Peter's Basilica and President of Fabbrica di San Pietro, noted that this architectural masterpiece risks becoming a silent witness to ‘infinite beauty’ if the mind is not enriched with knowledge and the heart's desire is not nourished by spiritual experience.

‘The effort is to use digital technology to decode for modern man the intertwining of history, art and spirituality that make the Basilica unique in the world,’ the cardinal said.

The project was launched ahead of the Vatican's Jubilee in 2025, a holy year when more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to pass through the Holy Door of the Basilica, in addition to the 50,000 who visit on a typical day.

The digital platform allows visitors to book an entry time to the basilica, a novelty for one of the world's most visited attractions, which regularly sees hours-long lines of tourists.