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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,
