3D modeling of a ruined church
Fundeni, Călărași County
3D model of the church in Fundeni – Sketchfab
We carried out a 3D modeling project of a ruined church in Fundeni, Călărași County.
The aim of the project was to create an accurate digital representation of the church and its current condition.
To accomplish this project, we began by photographing (images taken from a drone) the ruins of the church from all angles, using the DJI Air 2 drone.
After that, we processed the data obtained to create a digital model of the church, which included all the architectural and structural elements, as well as the ornamental details of the church.
We used Agisoft Metashape photogrammetric reconstruction software to create the digital model of the church.
After completing the 3D model, we created a detailed texture for the church model using 2D images of the church. The project was completed by creating a 3D animation showing the church from different angles and exporting it to the Sketchfab platform for an overview of the model.
The 3D modeling project of a ruined church in Fundeni, Călărași County, was a success, managing to create an accurate digital representation of the church and its current situation, bringing its history and architecture to life for viewing and study.
The story of the church:
This church was built around 1850 by Ioan Gherassy, a Greek industrialist and owner of an alcohol factory near Bucharest. It is not known exactly when it was abandoned, but its condition indicates that it has been so for at least the last 30 years.
Gherassy’s eldest son, Nicolae, built an underground tomb for the entire family in 1870 and brought the remains of his parents, who had been buried elsewhere. In 1888, he placed a sarcophagus above the tomb, on the lid of which is written the life story of all the family members. The monument was surrounded by obelisks and statues, but these were destroyed by vandals and the passage of time.
In recent decades, someone tried to reinforce the church, but the work failed, the brick columns fractured, and the entire portico at the entrance collapsed forward. All these details can be observed and studied in the 3D model of the church.
In 2014, the roof had already collapsed, but the church tower was still visible from a distance. In 2015, the tower collapsed into the middle of the church, but remained almost intact.
Photos taken in 2014 – before the tower collapsed inside (credit: Ana Glavce):
