Notre Dame Cathedral to get digital replica soon

On July 21, the president of the US technology corporation Microsoft, Mr. Brad Smith, said that Microsoft is cooperating with the French Government to create a digital copy of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, the most visited architectural work in France.

The 862-year-old Gothic structure reopened last December after five years of restoration following a fire in 2019.

Microsoft said the digital replica will serve as an archive of Notre Dame's architectural details, providing a "virtual" experience for tourists and those unable to visit this French cultural icon.

Mr Smith believes that creating a digital copy would provide an incredibly valuable digital record that could be used for the next 100 years.

Last year, Microsoft also partnered with Iconem (France), a company specializing in digitizing heritage, to create a digital replica of St. Peter's Basilica, one of the most important sites of the Catholic Church in the Vatican.

Since 2019, Microsoft has digitally archived many heritage sites, including ancient Olympia in Greece and the Mont Saint-Michel monastery in France.