Virtual Historical Heritage: Yuso Monastery

The computer graphics application that recreates the monastery of Yuso, is born as the collaboration of two research centers: Foundation LABEIN (Bilbao, Spain), and the North American Research Center VRAC (Virtual Reality Applications Center, in ISU, Iowa State University, USA). The goal of this research work developed within the project of the virtual reconstruction of the monastery, is the use of VR technologies with historical documentation, industrial, and artistical purposes. Other clear objective is the deepening in using tools of virtual reality and some photo-realistic techniques. On the other hand, one of the main reasons for using the Monastery of Yuso within this VR project was the historical importance of this place. The importance of the monasteries of San Millán de la Cogolla is not only the artistic value, but it's recognized as the birthplace of the CASTILIAN language. In fact, on the fourth of December 1997, the international organization of UNESCO decided to award the monasteries of SUSO and YUSO, incorporating them on the world heritage list. Finally, the new technologies have acquired the maturity enough to be used in very different environments .The potent tools that the new technologies offer us, are in a position to let us innovate the world of the cultural diffusion. It is our work to use them