A Digital Layer of Memory: 3D Documentation, Art Historical Interpretation, and Web-Based Presentation of the Saint Michael Church

Abstract. This paper presents the three-dimensional documentation and web-based dissemination of Saint Michael Church in Akçaabat, Trabzon, Türkiye. A high-resolution UAV photogrammetry survey consisting of 178 aerial images produced a detailed 3D model that was optimized for online delivery and exported in glTF format. The model is rendered in a browser through a Three.js viewer. An art-historical assessment accompanies the geometric record. The analysis identifies two construction phases: the medieval core dating to the 13th–14th centuries and the 1846 westward addition. Key formal features are described, including the nave dome on a high octagonal drum, the heptagonal exterior apse with arched niches, and the north and south entrances with their masonry treatments. The workflow allows close inspection of stonework and ornament while maintaining a faithful representation of the building fabric. The resulting dataset and viewer serve conservation documentation, research use, and broader access to a protected monument, and they align with international aims for heritage safeguarding, including Sustainable Development Goal 11.4. Potential extensions include semantic enrichment to link model elements with interpretive notes and scalable deployment using multi-LOD CityJSON for comparative studies.