Microsoft to create digital twin of Notre-Dame Cathedral

Microsoft announced Monday it is partnering with the French government to create a digital replica of Paris' Notre-Dame Cathedral, preserving every architectural detail of the 862-year-old Gothic landmark in what the company calls an "enormously valuable digital record". The project will take at least a year to complete and cost several million dollars.anewz+2

The digital twin will capture precise measurements of France's most visited monument, which reopened in December 2024 after five years of restoration following the devastating 2019 fire. Microsoft President Brad Smith said the replica will be donated to the French State and displayed at the future Musée Notre Dame de Paris.microsoft+1

Preserving Cultural Heritage Through Technology

The Notre-Dame project builds on Microsoft's successful collaboration with French heritage digitization firm Iconem to create a digital model of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Smith told Reuters that digital twins help with long-term maintenance by capturing "a digital record of every centimeter and what is there and what it's supposed to look like".anewz+1

"The ability to create a digital twin right now I think will provide an enormously valuable digital record that I believe people are going to be using 100 years from now," Smith said.microsoft

The announcement forms part of Microsoft's broader European expansion, which includes new AI language initiatives. The company will establish research teams in Strasbourg to develop multilingual datasets for at least 10 underrepresented European languages, including Estonian and Greek.itpro+1

Building on Cultural AI Initiative

Microsoft's Notre-Dame digital twin project continues the company's established track record of preserving cultural landmarks through technology. Since 2019, Microsoft has undertaken similar digital preservation initiatives for Ancient Olympia in Greece, Mont Saint-Michel in France, and commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy. These projects demonstrate Microsoft's commitment to using AI and digital technology to safeguard global heritage sites.anewz

The Notre-Dame project leverages expertise gained from previous collaborations, including the digital replication of St. Peter's Basilica developed with French heritage digitalization firm Iconem. This technology not only preserves architectural details but also offers practical benefits, as seen in Nestlé's implementation of digital twins which reduced associated time and costs by 70%. By creating immersive virtual experiences of cultural landmarks, Microsoft is establishing itself at the intersection of technology and cultural preservation, making historically significant sites accessible to global audiences while providing valuable documentation for future generations.microsoft

Microsoft's work with Iconem on St Peters basilica

The collaboration between Microsoft, Iconem, and the Vatican has produced an extraordinary digital preservation of St. Peter's Basilica, creating a comprehensive "digital twin" that allows virtual exploration of this architectural marvel. For three weeks, Iconem deployed drones equipped with cameras and lasers to capture over 400,000 high-resolution photographs of every detail of the basilica. These images were then processed using advanced AI algorithms to construct an ultra-precise 3D model that offers unprecedented access to the basilica's intricate art and architecture.instagram+2

The resulting project, titled "La Basilica di San Pietro: An AI-Enhanced Experience," not only enables global visitors to explore the basilica virtually through an interactive website but also provides valuable conservation insights. Additionally, the initiative includes an immersive exhibition called "Petros ení" ("Peter is here") housed in the Octagon Rooms of the basilica, specially opened to the public for this occasion. Microsoft plans to further enhance the experience with an educational Minecraft game exploring the basilica, scheduled for release in January 2025, ensuring this cultural landmark remains accessible and meaningful for generations to come.linkedin+3