Augmented reality stands were installed in Belza and Brody in Lviv region. On the territory of the Brody Castle, the stand displays the view of the entrance to castle tower (which was blown up in 1812), reconstructed on the basis of available sources; and in Belz – a fragment of the castle of the 12th century, which also no longer exists.
Within the scope of the project, the history of the selected monuments was researched, information and photomaterials reflecting their original appearance were collected, and the concept of augmented reality portals, which takes into account the historical and architectural heritage of the monuments, was developed. Digital exhibits were created on the computer and checked for compliance with the originals. The lost fragments were also displayed on the glass.
Illia Lytvynchuk, a postgraduate student of the Department of Architecture and Conservation, Lviv Polytechnic National University, did the research work. He says:
«The feasibility of the project with augmented reality stands has a multi-purpose dimension. First of all, the largest part of monuments and objects of cultural heritage in Ukraine have been lost in whole or in part, which interferes with the visual perception of the historical environment; its integrity has been lost. Augmented reality stands are an important tool for interpreting cultural heritage throughout Europe, and it is very good that Ukraine is also starting to master this toolkit for visualizing lost cultural heritage.
Secondly, a significant part of the partially lost objects of cultural heritage has been in a state of prolonged ruin for one, two or three centuries. This means that the very view of the ruins is historical, and the international restoration charters, to which Ukraine is a signatory, do not recommend «rebuilding» or «improving» them, but exclusively preserving them. Visual graphic reconstruction is the only option to reflect the idea of the original appearance of the monument for the average citizen.
Thirdly, we often face certain hypotheticals in our reconstructions of the original appearance of the monument due to the lack of archival materials, which may not be preserved either. Therefore, graphic display and augmented reality make it possible, if necessary, to specify the appearance of objects that we need, which can change during the discovery of new materials».
New tourist products were created within the framework of the regional program for the development of tourism and resorts.
For more details, visit the website of the Lviv Regional Military Administration.
