- The most technological event of Pilar Festival in Zaragoza includes seven new virtual experiences to discover the city.
- The initiative was recognized by the European Commission, which noted in a report its potential in transferring culture to new virtual worlds
In these Pilar celebrations, the city of Zaragoza goes digital. Everything to surprise neighbors and guests with the latest technology. In this context, Virtual Offering, a technological project that emerged during the pandemic to promote the donation of flowers to the Virgin Pilar, is betting on augmented reality this year.
Thus, the fascinating experience “Flower Route” is a tour of five tourist areas in the city center, whose statues come to life thanks to augmented reality. To unlock augmented experiences, hover over the QR or follow the route indicated on the website. From traveling to Roman times next to the statue of Caesar Augustus or discovering for yourself Eduardo Jimenez Correas, the director of the first film shot in Spain (“Departure from the Pilar Church in Zaragoza at 12 o’clock”, 1897). A flower route that allows visitors to immerse themselves in the curiosities, traditions and history of Zaragoza in a completely different and digital way.
Also, on the initiative’s website, you can access an express offer to share messages, requests and greetings of these Pilar festivals. And, in addition, there will be access to the Plaza del Pilar 3D, where through various mini-games all users will be able to become big heads, town criers and demonstrate all their knowledge of the history and traditions of Zaragoza through a cultural quiz.
Media showcase
The virtual offer became a great media and international showcase for the celebrations in Zaragoza. And not only because of the effect in numbers (in three years it collected more than 545,000 visits to the virtual space, 197,000 virtual offers and reaching 51 million people). Also for all the national and international recognitions he received during that time. The last of them, mentioned in the report of the European Commission entitled “Virtual worlds of the next generation: social, technological, economic and political challenges for the EU”, in which the potential of the virtual offer to transfer culture to new virtual worlds as a way to “virtually experience the cultural heritage of people in the whole world.”
In addition to being mentioned by the European Commission, this celebratory virtual square of the Plaza del Pilar, developed by Zaragoza Cultural in collaboration with Imascono, has received awards such as the Helixa Summit Award 2022 for the most innovative socio-cultural initiative awarded by the Immersive XR Association, or the Comprendedor 2021 for the best marketing a company awarded by the Business and Society Foundation.
And the virtual offer has proven itself as a new way of interacting from all over the world with the most traditional event of Zaragoza’s celebrations and will be active this year from October 7 to 15. In its commitment to continue to position the city in the technological ecosystem and provide its citizens with the latest cutting-edge technology, Zaragoza takes a step forward in this edition of #Pilar23 by including a new technology in its virtual offering: augmented reality.
