Case study: How OHRIZON transformed a visit to the Temple of Mars with Augmented Reality

The Temple de Mars, an emblematic historical monument in Brittany, has found new interest thanks to the integration of augmented reality (AR) into its tour route. OHRIZON has developed an innovative application enabling visitors to discover this ancient site through immersive reconstructions and a geolocated application. The application offers a virtual exploration, enriched with multimedia content that immerses visitors in the history of the Temple. Thanks to an intuitive interface and cutting-edge technologies, this enriched experience has not only attracted a new generation of visitors, but has also improved accessibility to this historic heritage.

The Temple de Mars, near Dinan, is one of the most important monuments of an ancient Roman city. Dedicated to Mars, the god of war in Roman mythology, the temple is an impressive testimony to the region's ancient past. The site has undergone many transformations over the centuries, and almost disappeared until its last major redevelopment phase. With a view to modernizing and enriching the visitor experience, while preserving its authenticity, the Dinan conurbation called on OHRIZON to integrate immersive technologies, in particular augmented reality, into its on-site tour.

One of the main challenges of the project was to make the visit to the Temple of Mars both captivating and accessible, while respecting the free accessibility of the site. The aim was to bring this ancient monument to life by offering an interactive visitor experience that would captivate both history buffs and visitors less familiar with this heritage.

What's more, as the Temple de Mars is a fragile historical site, it was crucial to find a way of allowing visitors to immerse themselves in its past without risking damage to the existing structure. The project therefore had to combine technology and heritage preservation, while being accessible to a wide audience, including younger generations looking for more immersive experiences.

OHRIZON has designed an augmented reality application enabling visitors to enjoy an immersive experience while exploring the Temple of Mars. Using AR, 3D reconstructions of the ancient temple, its statues and architectural elements have been superimposed on the real world. Visitors can thus see and interact with these digital elements while remaining in the historical context of the site.

The application offers an intuitive interface, enabling everyone to access content with ease. Visitors can view 3D models of the temple and its surroundings, discover additional historical information, and even take part in interactive activities linked to the Temple's history. Videos, audio narrations and animations complete this enriching experience.

One of the key benefits of the solution was to create an engaging, accessible and fun experience, particularly for younger audiences, who are often more inclined to take an interest in interactive experiences. Augmented reality helps to revitalize the traditional approach to guided tours by adding an extra dimension to the visiting experience.

Since the integration of augmented reality into the visit to the Temple of Mars, feedback from visitors has been extremely positive. Not only has the experience attracted a younger audience, but it has also sparked renewed interest in the site among older visitors, who have appreciated the detailed information and historical re-enactments accessible through AR.

The site has seen an increase in visitor numbers, with a more marked interaction of younger generations with the historical heritage. Interactive features, such as videos and animations, have enabled visitors to better understand the history of the Temple of Mars, making the visit more engaging and educational.

This success is reflected in the figures, with over 800 downloads per year, which is a very good score for an isolated site, far from the town and Corseul's archaeological museum.

The Temple de Mars project is a perfect example of how technology, in particular augmented reality, can bring historic sites back to life while respecting their integrity. OHRIZON has succeeded in transforming the Temple de Mars visitor experience into an immersive, accessible and engaging adventure for all audiences.

By offering an enriched exploration of the past while enabling playful interaction, the AR application has not only modernized the way visitors perceive this monument, but has also integrated it into a 21st century tourism and educational dynamic.

If you also want to modernize your visitors' experience while preserving the integrity of your heritage, the OHRIZON studio can help you develop an innovative, immersive solution tailored to your needs.