LARGE SCALE MONUMENT DATABASE DESIGN 
Georgopoulos A. a , Ioannidis Ch.\ Makris G.N. C , Karkanis M. d , Uiopoulou Ch. d 
a Prof., Lab. of Photogrammetry, National Technical University of Athens, Greece - drag@central.ntua.gr 
b Ass. Prof, Lab. of Photogrammetry. National Technical University of Athens 
c Lab of General Geodesy, National Technical University of Athens 
d Surveying Engineer, Post-graduate Student, National Technical University of Athens 
Commission VI, WG VI/4 
KEYWORDS: Spatial Information Science, Architecture, Cultural Heritage, Architectural Heritage Conservation, Photographic 
Recording & Documentation, Thematic Databases, GIS 
ABSTRACT: 
For the thorough geometric documentation of the Katholikon of the Daphni Monastery in Athens, the compilation of a thematic 
database of large scale was also specified. A database with content of such detail was compiled for the first time. The contents of the 
database and the various records of qualitative information were formed with the help of specialized experts and in cooperation of 
the interested users. 
The information management was carried out with the help of AutoCAD Map 2000i® software in combination with Microsoft 
Access, based on several criteria. Modern technology and the evolution of GIS allow today the fast and systematic recording of such 
information, but also their recover at will. On the other hand the possibility for direct connection of these pieces of information to 
the geometric position of the various objects in 3D space is possible. 
The database design is very important, because it will allow for the various interrelations of the data to be determined and exploited 
to the full. The database of such a large scale was set up referencing every brick and every stone on the monument’s surface. The 
various tables were of course interrelated in such a way as to bring out the logic which should be valid when monuments like that are 
being studied. The database was materialized in a way that the information and properties of all parts of the monument may be 
interrelated, but also absolutely related to the monument’s space. While designing the database a close cooperation was necessary 
with the end users. In this paper all considerations and decisions taken for the compilation of such a database are presented and 
discussed. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
For restoration purposes or significant interventions on large 
monuments, such as buildings, fortification walls, castles etc, 
that have been damaged due to natural (ie. earthquakes) 
disasters or human activities through time, it is absolutely 
necessary that a detailed and complete geometric 
documentation should be precedent. The completeness, the 
efficient use of the products and the visualization methods used 
for the documentation influence not only the compilation 
procedure of the restoration studies but in many cases their 
results also (loannidis et al, 1999). 
During the recent years under the term ‘geometric 
documentation’ we do not mean simply the survey (with 
combination of photogrammetric, field surveying and other 
methods) and the production of 2D digital drawings or 3D 
modeling, but also the development of a GIS, which will 
combine the geometric information with quality characteristics 
that are stored in an internal or even external database. Thus, a 
multi-level and multi-purpose documentation useful for a range 
of tasks varying from the simple geometric recording up to the 
development of a decision making systems is achieved. Such 
examples of IS can be found in many relevant applications 
(Ioannidis et al, 1992; Cooper et al, 1994; Smars, 2001). 
Especially for interventions on significant monuments, that 
constitute treasures of the global cultural heritage, the 
development of an IS is more than necessary. 
Such a monument, which is internationally protected by 
UNESCO, is the Dafni Monastery. It is one of the two 
remaining today excellent specimens of the culmination of 
Byzantine architecture (Figure 1). It was built in the 11 th 
century and is situated in the southeastern part of Attica near 
Athens. The whole monastery extends on an area of 0.7 
hectares and in the center of that area lies the majestic central 
church, the Katholikon. In essence it is a cross-domed octagon 
type of church extending approximately 25x15 m 2 and 20 m in 
height. The Monastery is considered to be the Parthenon of the 
Byzantine era, with extraordinary mosaics at the interior of the 
church. 
The strong earthquake of 7 th September 1999 caused severe 
damage to the Katholikon and the rest of the buildings of the 
monastery. The Ministry of Culture immediately decided to 
take strong measures in order to protect the monument. Before 
any static or structural interventions a detailed geometric 
documentation of the monument was decided. The Laboratory 
of Photogrammetry of NTUA undertook this task. The 
restitution of the Katholikon includes: 
• vector and raster (ortho-photomosaics) products for 5 
horizontal and 20 vertical (longitudinal and transverse) 
sections and for all the external facades at a scale of 1:25 and 
• orthoimages of all the mosaics at a scale of 1:5. 
One of the project’s requirements was to create a database 
suitable to record and manage all pertinent information 
concerning the constructional elements recorded in the 
drawings.