Modeling of the temple of apollo smintheus using photogrammetry and virtual realty

Most of the non topographic application of photogrammetry is related to architectural photogrammetry. Common use of photogrammetry is sketches prepared for the restoration projects of architectural monuments. New technologies and techniques for data acquisition (CCD cameras, Photo-CD, photoscanners), data processing (computer vision), structuring and representation (CAD, simulation, animation, visualization) and archiving, retrieval and analysis (spatial information systems) are leading to novel systems, processing methods and results. The improvement of methods for surveying historical monuments and sites is an important contribution to recording and perceptual monitoring of cultural heritage, to preservation and restoration of any valuable architectural or other cultural monument, object or site, as a support to architectural, archaeological and other art-historical research. Cultural heritage is a testimony of past human activity, and, as such, cultural heritage objects exhibit great variety in their nature, size and complexity; from small artifacts and museum items to cultural landscapes, from historic buildings and ancient monuments to city centers and archaeological sites. Cultural heritage around the globe suffers from wars, natural disasters and human negligence. The importance of cultural heritage documentation is well recognized and there is an increasing pressure to document our heritage both nationally and internationally. To save the cultural heritage in its original form will enable us to see the damages which can occur later. If documentation is kept precisely, the restoration process will be much more correct. Anatolia has been the cradle of many civilizations for thousands of years. Therefore there are many important monuments architecturally and culturally. Many of these monuments both from the pre-historical times, from the Seljuqi or Byzantine and Ottoman periods have been preserved. The temple of Apollo Smintheus is a unique construction of the Hellenistic Age in Anatolia because the scenes from Homer's Iliad are depicted in its ornamentation (frieze reliefs and columnae caelatae). In this study; it is aimed to model the temple from digital images by means of terrestrial photogrammetric techniques.