A NEW tourism app has been created to launch one of the North-East's oldest buildings into the 21st Century.

An augmented reality app has been created to give the history of Durham Cathedral a fresh perspective in a bid to make it more accessible for a technology-driven audience.

Aimed at transporting the user back in time, the app uses the technology at trigger points in the cathedral to allow visitors to discover the earliest stirrings of recorded English history, meet the Venerable Bede and experience a rare glimpse into the enigmatic and scholarly lives of the Benedictine monks.

The Northern Echo: VIRTUAL: The Sanctuary Knocker at Durham Cathedral which features on the app

VIRTUAL: The Sanctuary Knocker at Durham Cathedral which features on the app

Michelle Gorman, managing director of Visit County Durham, said: “This is one of the most exciting tourism products on the market – a true marrying of old and new and a completely innovative way to inspire an increasingly digital world to take a step back into the past.

"It enables Durham and all the cities in question to be able to reach new audiences and showcase the iconic cultural heritage we have to offer. New audiences and repeat visits all help to raise the profile of Durham and boost the visitor economy in our county.”

Ruth Robson, head of marketing and events at Durham Cathedral, said: “We are always looking for creative and innovative ways to engage with our visitors, and the England’s Heritage Cities app reveals the remarkable history and heritage of Durham Cathedral from a new perspective.

"We would encourage as many people as possible to download the app and use it to explore Durham and the other Heritage Cities represented, which all have their own fascinating stories to tell.”

  • Durham is one of 12 cities in England which have worked together to create the app, which was produced by the England’s Heritage Cities consortium and is free to download.