Modeling of Vanished Historic Mining Landscape Features as a Part of Digital Cultural Heritage and Possibilities of Its Use in Mining Tourism (Case Study: Gelnica Town, Slovakia)

• Main Authors: Pavel Hronček, Bohuslava Gregorová, Dana Tometzová, Mário Molokáč, Ladislav Hvizdák
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-04-01
• Series: Resources
• Subjects: 3D modeling; digital cultural heritage; mining tourism; vanished and inaccessible mining features
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/9/4/43

The study provides a methodology for 3D model processing of historic mining landscape, and its features as mining digital cultural heritage with the possibility of using new visualization means in mining tourism. Historic mining landscapes around the towns of Gelnica (eastern Slovakia) had been chosen for the case study. The underground mining spaces around Gelnica, which are currently inaccessible to clients of mining tourism, were processed using 3D modeling. Historically, correctly processed 3D models of mining spaces enable customers of mining tourism to virtually travel not only in space, but what is most important, in time as well. The up-to-date computer-generated virtual mining heritage in the form of 3D models can be viewed via the Internet from different perspectives and angles. The models created this way are currently the latest trend in developing mining tourism.