Google Lets You ‘Travel’ To Ukraine & Explore Its Culture On New Web Destination
Ukraine is Here—its towers standing with pride and its pavements free of ash and rubble. The version of the country you see on postcards, scarcely touched by war and division, lives on Google Arts and Culture.
Amid the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Google has launched an immersive online hub inviting anyone to virtually walk around the nation from wherever they are.
Five years in the making, Ukraine in Here is the joint effort of Google Arts & Culture and the Ukrainian government; the National Art Museum of Ukraine; the Museum of Theatre, Music, and Cinema of Ukraine; and other cultural institutions; to preserve the country’s art, architecture, culture, and nature far into the future. The uncertain fog wafting in the air solidifies the importance of protecting its identity.
First Lady Olena Zelenska had a say in the project.
“Our culture is not only ours,” Zelenska notes in a press release. “This is the legacy of the entire civilized world. When one country loses its cultural values, the whole world loses.”
Oleksandr Tkachenko, Minister of Culture and Information Policy, comments: “We present the project in turbulent times. Special attention is paid to our brave, strong, modern state. Ukraine is Here is an extremely powerful project that is the result of fruitful cooperation [and] true synergy.”
Tkachenko adds that Ukraine is Here brings “new opportunities to [talk] about Ukrainian culture in a large-scale, interesting and modern digital language.”
âï¸ explore the collections of Ukrainian museums in virtual exhibitions
— Ukraine.ua (@ukraine_ua) November 29, 2022
âï¸ see Ukrainian masterpieces via AR
âï¸ enjoy Ukrainian views via 360° tours & 3D models
âï¸ listen to the Ukrainian music
âï¸ watch an immersive series about comedy, cinema, fashion, dance, raves & street art pic.twitter.com/oAJKdzRhvy
Some of the digitally-preserved landmarks have already suffered damage from the war. The Bell Tower of the Dormition Cathedral in Kharkiv is one of them. On the site, however, it remains intact alongside some 40 other architectural icons that have been digitized as 3D models.
The Dormition Cathedral Bell Tower, visualized in 3D. Image via Google
Saint Sophia’s Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kyiv that dates back to the 11th century, has been luckier as it remains untouched by the ongoing discourse so far. While it’s still unsafe for tourists to pay Ukraine a visit, they’ll be able to navigate its grounds via Google Arts & Culture.
The site offers 360-degree, augmented-reality views of Ukraine’s national parks, art galleries, and architecture, including the Art Nouveau-style House with Chimeras.
Visitors can also admire life-size paintings by the likes of Aleksandra Ekster, Sonia Delaunay, and Victor Palmov; have an up-close look at traditional Ukrainian fashion and jewelry; and listen to the comforting and melodic voices of singing babushkas.
When their brain muscle has been over-exerted, users can rest their eyes on Ukraine’s beautiful sunflowers, as well as take in magnificent bird’s-eye views of the UNESCO-protected Dovbush Rocks, Makovytsia Mountain, or Uzhansky Park.
Head here to explore Ukraine is Here, which is also accessible on the Google Arts & Culture app for iOS and Android.
A fortress in the city of Kamianets-Podilskyi, visualized in 3D. Image via Google
[via CNET, Evening Standard, Google Arts and Culture, images via various sources]
