Google Launched Street View of 11 Temples

The gigantic internet corporation, Google launched Street View images of 11 temples around Central java and Yogyakarta, Sunday (September 27, 2015). Street view technology which ease the internet users to explore the images of the temples by online. This idea hopefuly could increase the tourism visit and become an educational tool of cultural heritage sites.

The launching was executed in Temple of Borobudur in Magelang, Central java. "By presenting the Street View, we want to enlarge the scope of cultural heritage site audiences in Indonesia. If previously the range  is limited, it's not for now" said  the Head of Public Policy & Government Relationship of Google Indonesia, Shinto Nugroho in the launching. This technology enable the internet users to see the panorama in 360 degrees of a place. It can be utilized by people to see their destination place, decise a driving direction or explore a city with more details.

In Indonesia, Google launched Street View images firstly in 2014. The temples (candi) which are can be explored by this technology is Candi Borobudur, Candi Barong, Candi Ijo, Candi Kalasan, Candi Mendut, Candi Pawon, Candi Prambanan, Candi Ratu Boko, Candi Sambisari, Candi Sari, dan Candi Sewu.

There some other spots in Indonesia which can be explored by Street View like Museum Nasional, sites of ancient human in Sangiran also some tourism places and beaches. To bring the temple images, Google cooperating with some parties like Ministry of Education and Cultural, Ministry of Tourism and PT. Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan, dan Ratu Boko.

Shinto said that in addition of presenting the Street View images, Google also giving narrations about history and culture of  some temples in Indonesia within  Google Cultural Institute site. This is help anyone, mainly for young generations to study about the history and various cultural site in Indonesia. "The way how today's people to find information is different. We were learned history from thick books, meanwhile now children learning from the internet." added Shinto.

The technology of Street View also hoped will attract more tourist to visit the temples. "Now they (tourists) nover go without certain planning. Mostly or even all of them find information of a place from the internet." said Purwanto, the  Director of Finance and Human Resources of PT. Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan, dan Ratu Boko. He said the idea has taken by Google hopefuly could help the effort of government to raising the number of foreign visit. In 2019 goverment set a target for foreign visit up to 20 million tourists.

As written by Ferganata Indra Riatmoko in kompas.com