The virtual architecture of the ancient city was created by U.S. and Italian academics. Now 400 million users who visit Google Earth, can enter some of the most famous sites of the ancient world.

Michael T. Jones, Google techonology chief, said, "It is a recreation of historic Rome made live in 3D that is made available to 400 million users of Google Earth around the world as of this very moment. You can go to the Imperial Forum you can go inside the Basilica Giulia you can go to the Circus Maximus and imagine Ben Hur, that sort of experience that is hypothetical, that can now be real and you can actually see more of Rome in Google Earth than you can see in Italy."

The technology chief said it was the latest in a series of educational applications by Google that do not necessarily have a profit-motive.

(CCTV November 19, 2008)