What was it like to visit the Temple in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago? How did it look to the thousands who thronged there, including people like Jesus and his apostles? Now we can see for ourselves.
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Ten million visitors come every year to the Western Wall to view the sole remaining part of the Second Temple complex. Now they can see it in a whole new way.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation is presenting a new, high-tech tour of the complex and the Temple as it was 2,000 years ago.
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The foundation's virtual reality tour of the site allows visitors to remain seated. Putting on on goggles and headphones they are immersed in the 360-degree experience.
Up until this point, the foundation has organized tours of the Western Wall tunnels and archaeological excavations, but only for organized groups that set them up in advance. As the new virtual reality tour is individual, lone visitors can take part.
The experience brings visitors to the time of the Second Temple, permitting them to view the pilgrims and priests at work and to visit the important sites on the Temple Mount. These include Robinson's Arch in the southwestern corner, the Royal Stoa, the courtyards of the Temple and the sanctuary.
The tour and technology was developed by ArchTour. Historians, rabbis, and archaeologists carried out comprehensive research on the structure of the Second Temple to provide the most accurate representation possible.
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This is a lightly edited version of the original article published by YNet News at http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4855837,00.html