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DOCUMENTING, MANIGING & VISUALIZING A HUGE DIGITAL 
PHOTOGRAMMETRIC DATA SET 
J. L. Lerma, C. Portalés, D. Germes 
Dept. Ingeniería Cartográfica, Geodesia y Fotogrametría. Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. 
C° de Vera, s/n. 46022. Valencia 
jllerma@cgf.upv.es 
KEY WORDS: Archiving, Photography, Visualization, Architectural Heritage Conservation, Photographic Recording 
ABSTRACT: 
Photogrammetry is an efficient discipline for documenting graphically and semantically cultural heritage. For decades, 
photogrammetric documentation following the 3x3 rules has been well-proved and used all over the world. However, when the data 
set is huge, the control, assessment and manage (e.g. labelling and recovery) of pictures is a crucial point in undefined or poorly 
structured archives. Furthermore, the digital era makes management of hundreds of pictures complicated because, on the one hand, 
there are many and big images and they require too much computer space (memory), and, on the other hand, there is no sense to 
hard-copy them by printing. Thus, this paper shows a way of labelling, retrieving and visualising efficiently digital images by means 
of multimedia packages, enabling easy and fast access through Internet. 
This paper reflects a new way of documenting, managing and visualising in a UNESCO World Heritage Monument, ‘La Lonja de 
los Mercaderes de Valencia’, one of the most famous examples of European Gothic civil architecture. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
La Lonja de los Mercaderes de Valencia or simply, la Lonja, 
was built in the centre of the city of Valencia at the end of the 
XV century. Granted the high distinction of Historical-Artistic 
National Monument on the 4 th June 1931, and declared a World 
Heritage Monument on the 5 th December 1996 by UNESCO. 
This building is one of the most famous examples of Gothic 
civil architecture that Europe can offer (VV.AA., 2002). 
In the workflow of the restoration project of la Lonja, managed 
by the Valencia city council in collaboration with Forum 
UNESCO “University and Heritage” -joint project between 
UNESCO and the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Forum 
UNESCO Home Page: http://www.forumunesco.upv.es/)-, a 
detailed graphical documentation of the current state of the 
building and its ornaments was needed. In this sense, close 
range photogrammetry was required as a proven efficient 
discipline for documenting graphically and semantically 
cultural heritage. 
The documentation of this historical building was taken by 
applying the well known 3x3 rules. Additionally, more 
considerations were taken in order to achieve a rich structured 
digital archive. 
In the following sections we will say a few words about the 
monument itself, la Lonja. Then, the photogrammetric 
fieldwork, image post-processing and the setting up of the 
digital catalogue will be explained. Finally, some conclusions 
will be pointed out. 
2. LA LONJA 
2.1 Main features 
La Lonja is made up of three different parts plus a garden (see 
figure 6) called Patio de los Naranjos (Orange Trees’ Patio). 
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Figure 1. Main facade of la Lonja 
The bigger part of the building corresponds to the Salón 
Columnario (Hall of Pillars) and covers an area of 35.6 x 21.39 
m 2 (corresponding to almost half of the total area of the 
building). Its 24 helicoidal columns, eight free-standing and 
sixteen embedded to the walls, create three horizontal and five 
vertical naves. These columns allude to the ship ropes or 
twisted silk, opening out like palm-trees to form ribbed vaults at 
17.4 m high (see figure 2 left). 
A second part corresponds to el Torreón (Tower). In its ground 
floor is placed the ancient Capilla (Chapel), where Gothic 
mouldings and a ribbed vault can be found. The rooms of the 
first and second floor were used as prisons for merchants failed 
in bankruptcy. The access to these last rooms is through the 
Escalera de Caracol, beautiful snail stone staircase without 
central axis. 
The last part of the building corresponds to: Salón del 
Comercio (Comerce Room) on the ground floor, where the 
Tribunal of Comerce was once suited; Salón del Consulado del 
Mar or Cambra Daurada (Golden Room) on the first floor,