A monument many people cannot climb
The Sassenpoort tells stories of trade, defence and city life.
Its narrow, steep spiral staircases and high tower rooms make it impossible for many people to explore the inside. For wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility, the gate often stays literally out of reach.
Built with Toegankelijk Zwolle
The tour was developed in close cooperation with the local accessibility organisation Toegankelijk Zwolle.
The aim: to make culture and heritage accessible to visitors regardless of physical limitations.
From the guard room to the roof
The tour starts at the foot of the gate. The first steps lead to the old guard room, where the voice of a virtual guide tells the story of the gate and the people who lived there.
Then the tour goes up the narrow stairs, which anyone can climb in VR, to the tower rooms where guards once looked out over the city. On the way, anecdotes bring the history of Zwolle to life.
The tour ends on the roof, with a panoramic view over the city.
Your own route and pace
Visitors choose their own route and their own pace. They can call up extra information by looking at it, using gaze control.
Each visitor decides where to go next and how long to stay.
Taken to care homes on request
The tour is used at the Sassenpoort itself. On request, it is also taken to other places, such as nursing and care homes, so that people who cannot visit the gate can still experience it.
It is meant to widen the monument's reach, make heritage accessible to more people and raise awareness of inclusion in the cultural sector.
Planning something similar for your own audience? You can talk to us about a project like this.
