Hagia Sophia

Isidore of Miletus, Anthemios of Tralles. Hagia Sophia, interior: Apse. 532-537, image: July 2013. Photography by Media Center for Art History, Department of Art History and Archaeology, Columbia University.

Have you ever wanted a better understanding of how an artwork or architectural detail was originally intended to be viewed?

Artstor’s Virtual Reality Panoramas are a wonderful option for viewing works in situ–no travel required. These 360-degree panoramas of world architecture allow you to navigate the interiors of cathedrals, mosques, palazzos, libraries, castles, and more. Using Comparison Mode, you can study artworks alongside panoramic views of the spaces in which they are installed.

These 360-degree views, formerly called QuickTime Virtual Reality files, were recently converted to HTML5, a format that works in all modern browsers.

View our entire collection of panoramic images by searching Artstor for “virtual reality panoramas.” You can then search within your results for specific locations, or use the filter panel on the left to narrow your results by geography.

–Meg O’Hearn, Education & Outreach Manager