You can now visit the Taj Mahal without traveling to Agra thanks to Google and ASI (Archaeological Survey of India). The two have come together to announce that the Taj Mahal as well as 30 other heritage sites have been given the 360-degree online imagery treatment which will let people see these wonders right from their desktops.
All you have to do is visit this link and start exploring. The Indian monuments that have been put online via Google Maps and Cultural Institute are more than 100 years old. The list of documented sites include Humayun’s Tomb, Red Fort, Nagarjuna Konda Buddhist Stupas, St. George Fort, MuchuKundesvara Temple, Bibi ka Makbara, Shahi Quila, Jantar Mantar and many others.
The 360-degree imagery and information is part of Google’s World Wonders Project. The company also has a similar Art Project under its belt which showcases paintings, sculptures and more from museums around the globe. The collections are breathtaking owing to the fact that high resolution pictures of these important works have been used to present them in 3D views.
But capturing 360-degree views of an entire location is not just a matter of having several cameras at hand. Google has a special Trekker device for this purpose. It is worn like a backpack and holds a camera system suspended a little above it. This apparatus contains 15 lenses that shoot the area being documented from all angles.
Google and ASI are aiming to bring a total of 100 Indian national treasures such as the ones mentioned above, to Cultural Institute.