The Bastions I, II and III of Fort Kościuszko in Kraków once formed an integral part of the citadel-type Fort No. 2 “Kościuszko” surrounding the Kościuszko Mound. Located on the western and south‑western side of the mound, the bastions were destroyed at the end of World War II and in the post‑war years. For decades, the area remained neglected and forgotten until modern revitalization efforts were undertaken.
Photogrammetry – From Birth to Modern Times Photogrammetry is a field of science and technology concerned with reconstructing the shapes, dimensions, and positions of objects based on their photographs.
During the Night of Scientists at the Archaeological Museum in Kraków, archaeology met modern technology. Photogrammetry, 3D scanning, and drones demonstrate how monuments are documented and preserved today. The lecture also presented the results of the latest excavations in the museum’s garden – uncovered fragments of the former monastery and the remains of the church that had been buried underground for hundreds of years.
Fort 31 “St. Benedict” is a unique tower fort of the Kraków Fortress, built between 1853 and 1856 on Lasota Hill. Over the years, it served as barracks and later as a residential building, and today – after an ongoing renovation worth PLN 21.5 million – it is set to become a science education center for young people. This only surviving tower fort in Poland will gain new life, combining historic architecture with a modern function.
Fort Kościuszko and the Kościuszko Mound form a unique combination of a historical monument and 19th-century fortification. This article presents the history of the mound and the surrounding Fort II Kościuszko – from its construction by the Austrians in the 19th century, through wartime destruction and postwar reconstruction, to its current museum and park functions. Finally, it describes the 3D digital model of the site, created using modern photogrammetry as part of the Kraków 3D project.
Since the 13th century, Kraków’s Main Market Square has undergone successive transformations – from a medieval marketplace to today’s tourist and cultural hub. The 19th-century demolitions, post-war reconstruction and digital documentation have made it a place where rich history meets modernity, remaining the heart of Kraków and a symbol of its heritage.
In the garden of the Archaeological Museum in Krakow, archaeologists uncovered a 19th-century block sewer and the foundations of the medieval Masons’ Tower. A precise 3D photogrammetry model reveals both structures and their fascinating history.
The Guardian of Kraków’s History. Standing today in Kraków’s Main Market Square, the eye is inevitably drawn to the slender, Gothic tower, solitarily dominating the western side of the square. It is such an integral part of the city’s panorama that it is easy to forget it is merely the surviving fragment of a once much larger structure. The Town Hall Tower is the sole heir to the Town Hall complex, which for over five centuries was the administrative, judicial, and symbolic heart of Kraków.
In the center of Krakow’s Main Market Square stands a building that is much more than just a monument. The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) is a stone palimpsest – a manuscript on which successive eras have inscribed their marks. It is the architectural and symbolic heart of the city. Today, the Cloth Hall thrives on three distinct levels. On the ground floor, in the bustling passage, a commercial tradition has continued uninterrupted for centuries. One floor up, in the silence of the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art, canvases by eminent painters tell the story of Polish identity. Finally, in the underground, a modern archaeological museum reveals the city’s deepest roots.
Amidst the greenery of Kraków’s Planty Park, where the heart of the city’s mighty defense system once beat, stands the Barbican. Its cylindrical silhouette, crowned with seven slender turrets, now strikingly contrasts with the peaceful paths surrounding it. The Barbican is one of the best-preserved examples of medieval military architecture in Europe.
St. Mary’s Basilica (the Archpresbyterial Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) is one of the most famous monuments in Kraków and the city’s most important church after Wawel Cathedral. The soaring towers of this Gothic temple dominate the Main Market Square, concealing within them the priceless late-Gothic altarpiece by Veit Stoss. The church’s history dates back to the early 13th century
The Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist in Korzkiew is a historic Roman Catholic church located in a picturesque valley near Kraków. It stands on a hill overlooking the area, reaching a height of about 13 meters above the nearby Korzkiew Castle. The church is a point of pride for the local community and a unique example of 17th-century sacred architecture with defensive features.
Photogrammetric 3D model of the Wawel Clock Tower after renovation In 2022, the long-awaited renovation of the Baroque dome of the Wawel Clock Tower began. The work lasted two
3D models of St. Adalbert’s Church and historical reconstructions. St. Adalbert’s Church in Kraków’s Main Market Square is one of the oldest sacred sites in Poland, with a history spanning over a thousand years. Thanks to a collaboration with the Archaeological Museum in Kraków, I had the opportunity to contribute a small part to the story of this unique place.
What is photogrammetry and how do I create my 3D models? Photogrammetry is a technique that allows for the creation of precise three-dimensional models from regular photos. While it may sound like magic, it is actually the result of advanced mathematical calculations and modern algorithms. In short, by taking hundreds or thousands of photos of a given object from different angles, we can reconstruct its shape, texture, and proportions in a virtual space.
