The initiative was presented Wednesday in Rome, but a small booth in the back of the Basilica of St. John Lateran had already begun to offer the specially designed iPod to tourists this week.
The interactive, touch screen device acts as a multi-media guide to the church. An intuitive «app» loaded onto the iPod offers a detailed map, explanations of the church’s art and history, a narrative, a musical soundtrack and high-resolution visual aids.
The initiative is the first of its kind, and the Opera Roman Pellegrinaggi is hoping the pilot project launched in Rome’s cathedral will catch on.
For now, the iPods can be used at no charge, but a valid form of identification is needed to check one out.
