Virtual tours have become more and more popular since the global pandemic. Thankfully, it looks as though many will be here to stay as people can enjoy all four corners of the world without having to leave the comfort of their own home. Now, we can take a virtual tour of Ancient Roman ruins in Lebanon – with a difference.
The ancient ruins of Baalbek
Believe it or not, but people first started to settle in Baalbek 9,000 years ago. Ancient Romans were the first to build the foundations of the city, and the temples still stand to date as some of the most impressive structures in the world. Several archaeologists say that Baalbek far surpasses Rome, and it might not be hard to see why. Here, there are three temples for Venus, Bacchus, and Jupiter and a courtyard that’s larger than two American football fields. In fact, the Parthenon could fit inside one of the temples. Yes, it really is that large.
Plenty of impressive additions
Although much of the Ancient Roman ruins in Lebanon are just that – ruined – they are still staggering. The temple of Jupiter is now nothing more than six columns, but they are the biggest preserved columns in the world. Standing at almost 74 feet tall and seven feet wide shows the scale of things that once stood in the area. The Temple of Bacchus is equally as impressive, especially as it’s thought to be the best-preserved Ancient Roman temple in the world. Even this temple alone comes with 54 columns that all stand 65 feet tall.
Recreating the past
For two years, archaeologists working for the German Archeological Institute have been carefully working to virtually bring the Ancient Roman ruins in Lebanon back to life, but not in the way that many would think. They have learned everything there is to know about the past and studied creations from around the world to ensure their final piece makes the city look as it would all those thousands of years ago. Thankfully, the team’s hard work has paid off as we’re now left with something out of this world.
Enjoying it in person
Not only can people now take a virtual tour of Ancient Roman ruins in Lebanon, but they can enjoy it all in person, too. That’s because the new app Baalek Reborn means that visitors can take a step back in time and take a look at what things would have looked like 2,000 years ago. So far, there are 35 stops on the map that takes people into the Temple of Jupiter for the first time in modern history. The best bit? The virtual tour is also filled with plenty of facts to help paint a bigger picture.
If you want to know what it was like to walk through Ancient Roman ruins, then it might be time to check out the virtual tour on offer. For the first time in years, we can see what an ancient civilization would’ve seen all those thousands of years ago.
