The municipality of Muro Leccese in Italy is opening an archaeological park around its ancient Messapian walls to the public on Saturday 3 October 2026. Archaeologists are to guide visitors through the site with augmented-reality headsets that overlay an image of the ancient city onto the surviving walls, so visitors can see how the spaces originally looked.
The park opens alongside an immersive room at the town's Museo Diffuso, housed in Palazzo del Principe. It presents a 3D projection that takes the viewer inside the ancient city and retraces its history from foundation to decline. The room was designed by architects Francesco Gabellone and Maria Chiffi.
Funding and partners
The openings mark the conclusion of the ViViMuro project, funded under Italy's PNRR recovery plan (mission 1, component 3, investment 2.1, attractiveness of historic villages). Local reports describe the results as the product of a long-running relationship between the Comune, the Superintendency for archaeology, fine arts and landscape, and the cultural heritage department of the University of Salento.
Components
- Guided park visits with AR headsets overlaying the ancient city on the walls
- An immersive room with a 3D projection of the city's history
- A newly accessible path alongside the restored walls
Status and open points
The deployment is recorded as announced, since operation is expected to begin at the opening ceremony. The municipality's own post refers to virtual visits with VR headsets, while the press reports describe augmented reality, so the exact headset experience is not settled by the sources.
