About the Krakow 3D Project
A Digital Ark for Monuments
Krakow 3D is an independent initiative aimed at creating Poland’s first publicly accessible Digital Atlas of Monuments. In the era of digitization, heritage preservation takes on a new dimension. We don’t limit ourselves to photos or descriptions – we transfer entire buildings, squares, and sculptures into the virtual world, preserving their geometry and texture with millimeter precision.
Technology behind Krakow 3D
Low-Altitude Photogrammetry
The heart of our operations is advanced photogrammetry. It is a complex engineering process where computer algorithms reconstruct the three-dimensional structure of an object based on thousands of photos from drones and ground cameras. Unlike standard 3D modeling, we do not “design” buildings – we scan them and create a very faithful digital copy of the architecture or monument.
We use equipment equipped with full-frame sensors and RTK positioning systems, allowing us to achieve geodetic precision essential for conservators and architects.
Digitization process in 4 steps:
- 1. Mission Planning: Analysis of flight zones, lighting, and geometry.
- 2. Data Acquisition: Drone flights (from 500 to even 5000 photos per object).
- 3. Processing (Reality Capture): Powerful workstations generate point clouds and meshes.
- 4. Optimization: Preparing the model for web display and VR.
Why are we doing this?
Race Against Time
Monuments deteriorate. Weather conditions, pollution, and time work against them. By creating a “Digital Twin”, we save the object’s state forever. Even if the original is damaged, the digital copy survives.
Accessibility
We want to democratize access to art and history. Our models allow a person with disabilities, a student from a small town, or an enthusiast from the USA to visit the roof of St. Mary’s Basilica without leaving home.
Science & Education
We provide materials for museums, art historians, and game developers. Our models are not just pretty pictures – they are metric data used for inventory, creating elevation plans, or damage analysis.
