Alcalá de Henares Through Time: A VR Journey Across 4 Historical Eras

Published on January 04, 2026 | Translated from Spanish
Visual comparison between modern-day Alcalá and its virtual recreation in Roman times, showing the same location with 2000 years of difference

⏳ When VR Transports You to Complutum Without Leaving the 21st Century

Alcalá de Henares is redefining cultural tourism with its immersive project "Alcalá Through Time," where VR headsets replace tour guides for an unprecedented historical journey.

The 4 Temporal Layers of the Project

  1. Roman Era (1st Century): Complutum with its forum and baths
  2. Middle Ages (15th Century): Medieval streets and walls
  3. Golden Age (16th Century): University splendor
  4. Contemporary Era (19th Century): Urban transformation

Key Technologies Behind the Experience

Technique Application
Laser Photogrammetry Digitization of monuments
Procedural Modeling Generation of historical environments
Unreal Engine 5 Real-time rendering
"It's like having a time machine, but without the risk of altering the timeline... although one user already tried to 'update' Cervantes about the metaverse"

Details That Make the Difference

This project not only innovates in tourism but also sets a new standard for the digital preservation of heritage. That said, we recommend not trying to talk to the historical avatars... for now they only have pre-recorded dialogues.