A digital reconstruction of the original Olympic Games site allows viewers around the globe to see it as it was in the prime more than 2000 years ago.
“Ancient Olympia – Common Grounds” was created by collaboration between Microsoft and the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sport.
Microsoft teamed with tech firm Iconem to take hundreds of thousands of images of the ancient site as it lies today — both with ground- and drone-based cameras.
Microsoft AI used these to generate models that are so accurate they can be photographed and then digitally recreated the old monuments.
The first games took place in Olympia in 776 BC, and recurred every four year until at least AD 393 and they perhaps continued until the Temple of Zeus burnt in 425 AD.
Common Grounds is available via a web interface, apps for Android and iOS, as well as in a Microsoft HoloLens 2 exhibition now open at the Athens Olympic Museum.
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Viewers around the world can see the site of the first ever Olympic Games as it looked in its prime more than 2,000 years ago thanks to a digital reconstruction. Pictured: the full-resolution version of the reconstruction of the Temple of Zeus in Olympia

‘Ancient Olympia: Common Grounds’ stems from collaboration between the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sport and Microsoft’s AI for Cultural Heritage initiative. Pictured: the reconstruction of entrance to the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

Microsoft teamed with tech firm Iconem to take hundreds of thousands of images of the ancient site as it lies today — both with ground- and drone-based cameras. Pictured: the team’s reconstruction of the Statue of Zeus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, which resided in the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

The images were processed by Microsoft AI to create models so precise they are photo-realistic and from which the ancient monuments could be digitally reconstructed. Pictured: the lower-resolution reconstruction of Olympia which can be explored via a web portal
Lina Medoni of Hellenic Republic Ministry of Culture and Sports stated, “With the digital representationof the Panhellenic Sanctuary of Ancient Olympia,”
Reconstructions of the highest quality, she said, help to promote Olympism and its values: peace, harmony, excellence, and noble rivalry.
“The digital preservation project promotes and highlights this unique, emblematic archaeological site through artificial intelligence and augment reality technologies. It is implemented by Microsoft’s cultural sponsorship.
“This helps to document monuments and supports tourism. It also contributes to a strong democracy, with an extensive historical and cultural history and unquestionable growth dynamics.
The Common Grounds Experience has preserved nearly 27 monuments on the Olympia site. This includes the original Olympic Stadium and workshop of Phidias, as well as the temples to Heras and Zeus.
The latter contained the Statue of Zeus, a 41 foot-tall sculpture of ivory and gold sat atop a painted and ornamented cedarwood throne that is famously regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
In the 3D experience, each of the buildings has been painstakingly recreated by archaeologists from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sport — with each presented with information include histories of the site and contemporary artefacts.
‘Ancient Olympia: Common Grounds is a unique way of experiencing Greece’s proud cultural heritage,’ said the Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Augmented reality technology allows visitors to virtually travel around the site of Olympia, and witness the history in action.

In 776 BC Olympia hosted the first game. They continued every four years until AD 393 at most.

Common Grounds is now available online (pictured), as apps for Android, iOS, and in a Microsoft HoloLens 2 exhibit at the Athens Olympic Museum

Lina Medoni, Hellenic Republic Minister for Culture and Sports said that ‘with the digital representations of Panhellenic sanctuary in Ancient Olympia, it becomes its cultural heritage accessible to the entire world. Pictured: the reconstructed facade of the Temple of Zeus

Ms Medoni said that the reconstruction is state-of-the art and promotes Olympism’s values, such as peace, harmony, excellence, and rivalry. The Temple of Hera, Olympia as it appears today.

‘The digital preservation project, through the use of artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies, implemented through the cultural sponsorship of Microsoft, promotes and highlights the unique and emblematic archaeological site,’ said Ms Medoni
‘The project to digitally preserve ancient Olympia is a stunning achievement in cultural heritage,’ said Microsoft president and vice chair, Brad Smith.
Common Grounds, he added, brings together ‘humanity and cutting-edge technology to benefit the world and empower coming generations with new ways to explore our past.’
Microsoft Greece, Cyprus and Malta general manager Theodosis Michalopoulos added: ‘We thank the Greek government for the trust and the great partnership it took to make this project a reality.
‘I am looking forward to exploring the different ways we can work together to leverage even further Common Grounds to enhance tourism, education and Greece’s brand name to the rest of the world.’

In total, the Common Grounds experience has virtually preserved 27 monuments at the Olympia site, including the original Olympic Stadium, the workshop of the renowned sculptor Phidias (pictured here in the present day) and the temples to Hera and Zeus.

In the 3D experience, each of the buildings has been painstakingly recreated by archaeologists from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sport — with each presented with information include histories of the site and contemporary artefacts. Pictured: the Palaestra at Olympia — essentially a wrestling school — as seen in the present day

‘Ancient Olympia: Common Grounds is a unique way of experiencing Greece’s proud cultural heritage,’ said the Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Pictured: the digital reconstruction of the Philippeion, a limestone and marble memorial to Philip II of Macedon

Visitors around the world can virtually visit the ancient site of Olympia and experience history first-hand using augmented reality technology,’ Mr Mitsotakis added. Pictured: the Olympic stadium as seen in the present day

Brad Smith, Microsoft vice-chair and president, said that the project to preserve digitally ancient Olympia was a remarkable achievement in cultural heritage. Pictured: a photograph of the Palestra, which was a centre for wrestling

Theodosis Michaelalopoulos, general manager of Microsoft Greece and Malta added that: “We are grateful to the Greek government and for their trust in us and our great partnership. ‘I am looking forward to exploring the different ways we can work together to leverage even further Common Grounds to enhance tourism, education and Greece’s brand name to the rest of the world.’ The location of Olympia, Greece.