Temple of Bel, Palmyra, Panoramic Network, Syria
| General Attributes |
DOI| 10.34946/D6HC7W | |
| Project Name | Temple of Bel, Palmyra, Panoramic Network |
| Country | Syria |
| Status | Upcoming |
| Citation |
| Gabriele Fangi, Circolo Ricreativo Universitario di Ancona : Temple of Bel, Palmyra, Panoramic Network - Photogrammetry - Terrestrial, Data Derivatives - DSM/Ortho. Distributed by Open Heritage 3D. https://doi.org/10.34946/D6HC7W |
| Download |
| Spatial Data | Coming Soon |
| Data Type |
Size |
Device Name |
Device Type |
| Photogrammetry - Terrestrial | 0.88 GB | Canon EOS 4 | DSLR |
| Data Derivatives - DSM/Ortho | 1 GB | Not available | Not available |
| Background |
| Site Description | Built in the first century CE and dedicated to the Mesopotamian god Bel, the temple dominated Palmyra's sacred precinct with its massive stone walls and towering columns. The sanctuary featured a remarkable fusion of Greco-Roman and Oriental styles, with an ornate entrance portico, elaborately carved ceilings, and relief sculptures depicting religious processions. The inner cella housed shrines to Bel and associated deities, while the surrounding courtyard provided space for ritual ceremonies. For nearly two millennia, this architectural masterpiece survived as a testament to Palmyra's cultural significance along ancient trade routes. Tragically, ISIS militants destroyed the temple in August 2015, reducing centuries of irreplaceable heritage to rubble. Today, only fragments and documentation remain of this extraordinary monument that once symbolized religious tolerance and artistic achievement in the Syrian desert. | |
| Project Description | A series of panoramic photogrammetry stations to be used in 3D reconstruction. Dr. Gabriele Fangi pioneered spherical photogrammetry, a cost-effective documentation technique using panoramic imagery for architectural and archaeological surveying. His method employs consumer-grade cameras mounted on panoramic heads to capture complete 360-degree views from multiple stations. The spherical images are processed to extract geometric information, creating accurate 3D models and orthophotos without expensive laser scanning equipment. This approach proves particularly valuable for emergency documentation in conflict zones or disaster areas, where rapid, lightweight surveying is essential. Fangi successfully demonstrated the technique at numerous heritage sites worldwide. The method's accessibility and speed make it ideal for documenting complex structures, though it requires careful station planning and overlapping coverage. Spherical photogrammetry has become an important tool for cultural heritage preservation, offering professional-grade results with minimal equipment investment.
The methodology employed to create and utilize these images is described in this publication:
Fangi, G., Piermattei, L., & Wahbeh, W. (2013). Spherical Photogrammetry as Rescue Documentation for the Reconstruction of Some UNESCO Sites in Syria. International Journal of Heritage in the Digital Era, 2(3), 335-341.https://doi.org/10.1260/2047-4970.2.3.335 | |
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | Site of Palmyra |
| Collection Date | 2010-08-23 to 2010-08-23 |
| Publication Date | 2026-01-13 |
| License Type | CC BY-NC |
| Model Information |
| Reuse Score | B - High-Quality Model without Georeferencing |
| Curator Notes | The dataset also includes masks, to remove tourists and the sky. |
| Entities |
| Contributors | Gabriele Fangi, Circolo Ricreativo Universitario di Ancona |
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