Turn your phone into a time machine with stunning 3D reconstructions of historic sites, geospatial precision, and AI-guided tours in 60+ languages
Histoury is launching its Portyl app that uses the Unity game engine and Niantic Spatial‘s technology to enable tourists to see what today’s archaeological ruins looked like in their heyday.
The Dallas-based company says it’s like turning your smartphone into a time machine, with 3D reconstructions of historic sites, geospatial precision and AI guided tours in 60 languages.
Histoury is a travel tech company made up of gaming veterans. It is launching the groundbreaking Portyl app, transforming the heritage tourism experience with immersive augmented reality (AR). Powered by the Unity game engine and the magic of Niantic Spatial technology, Portyl recreates the past with breathtaking accuracy, allowing tourists to witness history come alive — all from their phones or tablets.
At launch, Portyl is offering immersive experiences at iconic Roman landmarks, such as the Pantheon, Largo di Torre Argentina, Colosseum district, Forum of Trajan, Theatre of Marcellus, and Temple of Hadrian.
See history unfold around you
Imagine standing before the Pantheon as it was nearly 2,000 years ago, bustling with citizens, merchants, and priests. Or seeing the four temples of the sacred area of Largo di Torre Argentina, not as ancient ruins but as they existed between 4th century and 2nd century BC.
Or watching a triumphant march of Roman soldiers as they parade through the Arch of Constantine in front of the Colosseum. Or standing on the crosswalk at the Forum of Trajan and seeing the majestic palazzo bustling with senators and countrymen. Or walking through the Jewish Ghetto and suddenly being transported to the Porticus of Ottavia and behind it the famous Theatre of Marcellus.
Portyl is your ticket to these experiences.
“When people young and old experience Portyl, you can see the magic in their eyes and hear it in their voices,” said Todd Porter, CEO of Histoury, in a statement. “Instead of looking at ruins and trying to imagine what they looked like, Portyl overlays the past over the present with incredible accuracy and stunning AAA graphics. For the tourism industry, Portyl is a glimpse into the future — immersive, interactive, and unforgettable.”
Beyond the audio guide
Unlike site-specific apps or passive museum audio tours, Portyl is a single, unified platform that provides bespoke immersive experiences for historic locations across the globe. Travelers can access rich, cinematic 3D content for as little as €20 ticket per package— all through a single app.
Key features of Portyl include:
- Hollywood quality CGI reconstructions of ancient structures, peoples, landmarks and vistas.
- Geospatial precision that locks the virtual world to the physical one — walk the reconstructed ruins while seeing the past unfold around you.
- The Saige, your AI personal historian tailored to each location, who can plan your tour, answer your questions, and bring history to life.
- Over 60 languages and seamless voice interaction, enabling global accessibility.
- Freeform “Espresso” tours, enabling visitors to see and hear what they are interested in. Imagine experiencing the Pantheon – seeing what it looked like 2000 years ago while sitting at a cafe in its square.
Portyl meets the heritage tourism moment
Portyl is launching into into a fast-growing market: heritage travel is valued at $2 billion and AR tourism is expected to grow at a 30% CAGR over the next decade. To better understand today’s travelers as the market evolves, History commissioned a third-party survey, revealing major pain points and a significant opportunity for innovation:
- 49.9% of tourists report sites are too crowded.
- 35.1% say traditional tours move too quickly to appreciate the site.
- 26.1% are overwhelmed with too much information at once.
- 21.4% struggle to visualize what the site originally looked like.
- 72.6% say they would be more likely to visit historical sites if technology made them more engaging.
Moreover, nearly 42% of travelers said they would visit significantly more sites on a trip if those experiences were interactive and immersive.
“Heritage tourism is at a tipping point,” said Porter. “Travelers don’t just want facts — they want connection. They want what we call Theastoric — a mix of theater and history. Portyl delivers that in a way no tour book or signage ever could. Instead of trying to picture what the Forum looked like, you can simply hold up your phone and see it in all its splendor.”
Recreating history with next-gen tech
Niantic Spatial’s Visual Positioning System (VPS) and World Positioning System (WPS) technology provide geospatial precision.
“We believe Portyl has the potential to be a killer app for AR tourism, and we’re inspired to see Histoury using Niantic Spatial technology for this impactful new experience,” said Joe Gabriel, head of customer and developer success at Niantic Spatial, in a statement. “Our Visual Positioning System makes sure every immersive experience is anchored precisely and persistently across each historical location with centimeter level accuracy. It’s a powerful example of how spatial intelligence is reshaping the way people and digital systems understand and engage with our physical world.”
Getting started is easy. You can download Portyl for free from the App Store or Google Play. No headset is required. Just your phone or tablet, headphones and curiosity.
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