The Kamianets-Podilskyi State Historical Museum-Reserve has been named one of six winners in the European XRculture project — an initiative that brings historical landmarks to life through interactive 3D holograms.
The project’s main Ukrainian feature will be the Old Fortress of Kamianets-Podilskyi, a medieval stronghold that has guarded the Smotrych River canyon for centuries. Using just a smartphone and a small holographic pyramid, visitors will soon be able to see how the fortress looked hundreds of years ago, with 3D reconstructions animating its towers and ramparts.
XRculture aims to modernize Europe’s cultural heritage by combining extended reality (XR) technologies with digital preservation, offering new ways to explore and interact with the past.
Alongside Kamianets-Podilskyi, the winning sites include:
- Planet Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- The “Bremen Ship” at the German Maritime Museum, Germany
- Ermoupolis on the island of Syros, Greece
- The ancient city of Augusta Bagiennorum, Italy
- The Rotunda of St. Nicholas in Seló, Slovenia
A fortress that shaped Ukrainian history
The first fortifications at Kamianets-Podilskyi appeared between the 12th and 13th centuries, with major expansion taking place in the 16th century. From 1617 to 1621, military engineer Theophil Schomberg designed the New Castle, which met the highest defensive standards of its time.
In 1928, the Old Fortress received the status of a State Historical and Cultural Reserve, cementing its place among Ukraine’s most significant heritage sites.
Now, nearly a century later, technology will allow the ancient walls of Kamianets-Podilskyi to “live” once again — not only as a monument of stone, but as a digital window into history.
