The project “TECH -TOUR Technology and Tourism: Augmented Reality for Promotion of Roman and Byzantine Itineraries” aims to promote two historical trans-national EU cultural routes exploiting developed ICT tools and exploring new media potential in promotion of cultural heritage. Retracing the history of influences, exchanges and developments of two great empires, Roman and Byzantine, which shaped the cultural landscape of Europe, the project aims at defining the common thread that link places and regions and helps represent the richness and uniqueness of European cultural identity.
The “Roman Itinerary” - Iter Romanum - extends along the remains of the old Roman Road, as designed at the Peutingers’ map Tabula Peutingeriana from the IV century, with some minor divergences. It passes through four European countries: Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia. Over centuries, from ancient to modern times, this road has been connecting people living in different parts of Europe. Along this route, a unique mixture of cultural influences, forming common European heritage, can be identified. Roman Itinerary encompasses another ancient Roman route, Via Annia, from the II century BC, stretching through northern Italy.
“Byzantine Itinerary” – Iter Byzantinum – is a route connecting Byzantine sites in four countries: Italy, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. The territories of these countries were of highest importance for the Byzantium especially during the reign of the Justinian I (VI century), also called “the last Roman emperor” because he regained lost territories of the former Western Roman Empire, occupied by barbarian Germanic tribes. The route connects sites that were under Byzantine influence over centuries, linking the native place of Justinian in Serbia with the sites at the coasts of Italy, Croatia and Slovenia, that played important role in his military campaign for regaining the West.
The emphasis shall be put on the unifying potential of these routes, connecting Western and the Eastern part of the Roman Empire, with its two capitals, Rome and Constantinople, reflected in the historical, cultural, military and economical importance of the routes. Today the cultural and historical unity of the EU is obscured and the shared cultural heritage is perceived as partialized, belonging not to the common EU background, but to the particular states on the route. Mapping a new pan-European route as an unique and recognizable cultural product and connecting the selected points on the route into a unique system will help integration of the cultural heritage on the route, giving it its own European identity. Integration of the common cultural heritage on the route will reinforce the sense of the community and reinforce the connections among participating countries.
• To map and promote two cultural routes focusing on their interrelation in creating common European identity
• To show the potential of mobile technologies for the development of innovative communication at cultural heritage sites
• Support innovation in cultural tourism services
• Support local economies through an enhanced visibility
The project TECH-TOUR aims to promote two historical trans-national EU cultural routes by
• marking specific points of cultural and historical value along the routes
• exploiting developed ICT tools (Augmented Reality) and creating cross media communication platform TECHCOOLTOUR
• by placing twelve interactive infoboards and transforming the routes into virtual open-air museums
• To create an innovative concept for the promotion of the cultural heritage by implementation of new ICT applications, ad-hoc marketing strategies and trans-national cooperation of the participating countries.
• To enhance integration of SMEs, business community, public institutions and other subjects in the field of cultural tourism within partner countries, so as to create a network of human resources, promote entrepreneurship and encourage synergies with similar actions within participating countries.
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