As-built documenation of cultural heritage
with laser scanning, photogrammetry, UL- & UAV flights

3D Survey Fortress Oberhaus

In 2018, ArcTron 3D was commissioned by the City of Passau and the Oberhaus Museum to produce a comprehensive, elaborate and mainly photogrammetric 3D documentation of the well-known, extensive and mighty Fortress Oberhaus and Niederhaus in Passau.

This high-precision 3D documentation project with combined airborne and terrestrial sensors was a small part of the comprehensive EU Interreg project VISIT (“Virtual Interconnection Systems and Information Technologies for the Tourist Development of Cultural Heritage”).

Fortress Veste Oberhaus and Niederhaus Passau - 3D model of the entire building complex
Fortress Veste Oberhaus and Niederhaus Passau - 3D model of the entire building complex

Complete 3D survey incl. airborne data sets

For generating a complete 3D data documentation set we used ArcTron’s own ultralight two-seater paraglider trike (photogrammetry), a professional camera drone (multicopter) and terrestrial laser scanners, GPS and total station. For scheduling reasons, the airborne documentation had to be carried out during the full vegetation phase. As a result some areas of the walls were covered with high and low vegetation. Nevertheless, the entire fortification with its very extensive building stock was captured in 3D including its property of almost 50,000 m2 or terrain.

3D survey of the fortress with its very extensive building stock incl. the surrounding terrain
3D survey of the fortress with its very extensive building stock incl. the surrounding terrain

From the fortification Veste Oberhaus the most fascinating view stretches out overlooking the rivers Danube and Inn and the entire city of Passau. Further beyond one can see the adjoining country hills as far out until the borders of Austria.
Until the beginning of the 19th century, Passau was under the rule to the prince-bishops, who demonstrated their power to the citizens with the fortress Oberhaus located on top of the Georgsberg mountain.  
For the 800th anniversary, a new exhibition was arranged in the old observation tower of the fortress. The collected 3D data has been integrated in a new multimedia exhibition to tell the storry about the castle and the rules and trading in the Inn-Salzach-Danube region. Among other things, the building research and building history of the Veste Oberhaus and Niederhaus was shown in various 3D models and 3D visualizations.

3D heritage documenation with laser scanning and photogrammetry
3D heritage documenation with laser scanning and photogrammetry