MetaFilter: 360-degree panoramic galleries of European cities

“Arounder has an ongoing collection of high-quality full screen Quicktime VR panoramas of European cities, focusing on famous artistic and cultural landmarks (in Rome, Florence, Köln, Barcelona, Cyprus), with interactive maps and travel information. A collaboration with national tourist offices by Swiss company Vrway Communication, which also publishes Vrmag, a bi-monthly review of panorama photography, and the FullscreenQTVR directory in collaboration with the well-known panoramas.dk.”

I’ve been to the Cologne Cathedral many times, but am always amazed again by the sheer grandeur of the building. The virtual tour of the Kölner Dom lets you get a feeling for the place even if you’ve never visited. Bonus: There are nice views of Cologne from the towers of the cathedral.

Thirteen years ago I visited Tuscany on a school trip in my final year. We stayed in Florence (Firenze!) and of course visited the cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore, and its tower. Cathedrals in Tuscany usually consist of a main building, il duomo, a baptistry, il battistero, and a tower, il campanile (e.g., the famous leaning tower in Pisa is the campanile of the cathedral at the Piazza dei Miracoli, the Square of wonders). The virtual tour of the Catheral made memories come back… I remember climbing up on top of the dome – there are very narrow funny little flights of stairs between the outer and inner domes, which can be a bit claustrophobic, but you are rewarded with a great view of the city.