For the city of Klatovy we created an interactive app for visitors to the Refectory of the Jesuit College. The app enriches the tour of the historic monument with multimedia content, augmented reality, and an interactive guide through the history of this unique space.
Key project outcomes
The Refectory of the Jesuit College in Klatovy is a unique historic monument with rich decoration. The app was designed to give visitors a deeper understanding of the history, artistic decoration, and significance of this space.
The solution combines a mobile app with augmented reality elements, an audio guide, and interactive maps that lead visitors through the entire space and reveal the stories hidden behind the individual works of art.
- Mobile app for iOS and Android with offline mode
- Augmented reality bringing historic scenes and frescoes to life
- Multilingual audio guide with professional narration
- Interactive map of the space with points of interest and detailed descriptions
- Gamification elements to increase visitor engagement
Challenges & solutions
A historic building brings specific challenges — limited mobile signal coverage, the need for an experience that does not disturb other visitors, and the need to make a rich historical context accessible in an attractive digital form.
Project challenges:
Connecting modern technology with a historic environment required a sensitive approach to both design and functionality, so that the technology would not distract visitors from the experience itself but enrich it.
Functionality without an internet connection
The historic building has limited signal coverage. The app had to be fully functional in offline mode, including the AR content and the audio guide.
Sensitive AR integration into a historic environment
Augmented reality had to complement, not disrupt, the authentic tour experience. The AR overlay design had to respect the historical context and aesthetics of the space.
Our solution:
We chose a hybrid approach with React Native for cross-platform development and a local cache for offline functionality. The AR components use ARKit and ARCore for precise mapping of the historic spaces.
- Cross-platform React Native app with native AR modules
- Complete offline mode with pre-downloaded multimedia content
- Indoor positioning system using BLE beacons for precise location inside the building
- Visitor behavior analytics for optimizing content and routes
Project Q&A
The app is available for iPhone (iOS 15+) and Android phones (Android 10+). A device with ARKit or ARCore support is required for the AR features.
Yes, after the initial content download the app works completely offline. All texts, audio, and AR models are stored locally on the device.
The app is available in Czech, English, and German. The audio guide is professionally narrated by native speakers in all three languages.
The app's content is managed through an administration interface where city staff can add new points of interest, update texts, or upload new multimedia content.