Invergarry Castle The Latest Historic Site to Be Given Virtual Second Life

Submitted by MalcolmJ on Tue, 08/18/2009 - 13:29

A Scottish castle – ransacked by government soldiers after the Battle of Culloden – has been rebuilt in the online virtual reality domain Second Life. Virtual reality “tours” are now being offered of Invergarry Castle, in Glengarry in the Highlands, which has been cloned in two different forms – the intact 1740 version, and the modern ruined remains, which are in such a state of disrepair they’re almost inaccessible.

The project is a publicity initiative by the My Glengarry Conservation Trust – an organisation who are attempting to raise money for the preservation of the Glengarry area, by selling off legal deeds to plots of land which can be zoomed in on in high quality detail through the trust’s website. The virtual models were constructed using the original plans of the building, dating from 1700 (when it was rebuilt after previously being sacked by Oliver Cromwell in 1654), together with a photo archive.

Virtual reality “tours” are now being offered of the intact 1740 version, and the modern ruined remains.

There have been numerous similar examples of 3D virtual reality recreations of historic monuments. As we’ve reported, recent projects have made it possible to pay online visits to all from Qumran in the West Bank to the temple complex of Karnak in Egypt, ancient Rome, one of Cambodia’s earliest Khmer temple complexes Sambor Prei Kuk. While in Heritage Key, of course, make sure you pay a visit to the tomb of Virtual King Tut, and let us know what you think.

Picture by My Glengarry. All rights reserved.