Historic photos and TLS data fusion for the 3D reconstruction of a monastery altar ensemble

Abstract. The basis of the photogrammetric reconstruction of the altar at the monastery / church are 2 historic photos from around 1920’s as well as a 3D documentation of the church from terrestrial laser scanning. The point cloud from the laser scan was the starting point for an approximate computation of the interior and exterior orientation of that image that also contains parts of the altar area that still do exist.

Using a projection of the recent geometry into the image allowed the analysis of changes of the altar ensemble since the time of image acquisition. Those parts that are still in situ are the origin for further action. Whether fragments and parts should be used further or newly positioned was decided in the next phase of reconstruction process. The focus of the first step of the workflow was at the outlines of the parts in the center of the altar. Using a monoplotting approach and assuming that the profiles are vertical and parallel to each other these object could be definitely compiled. Theses outlines also allowed an approximate determination of the interior and exterior orientation of the second historic photograph in which otherwise the complete connection to the recent altar area was missing.

The side parts of the altar showed to be more complicated for reconstruction. The difference in depth of the varying edges could not be distinguished any more in the images. Such, the sequence and form of the different edges was adopted, scaled and transferred from the central part of the altar to the peripheral ones. Using this geometric information it was possible to define the necessary projection planes for the monoplotting restitution of the visible outlines. A concluding rigorous control was accomplished by back projection of the geometry into both historical images.