From archives sources to virtual 3D reconstruction of military heritage – the case study of Port Battery, Gdańsk

The research presented in the article focuses on the development of methodological protocols - from survey to digital reconstruction - for the enhancement and protection of built heritage. Through the realisation of virtual reality-based digital models, it is possible to narrate the evolution and transformation of those places that constitute our historical memory. The European Project H2020 Prometheus, focused on the documentation of the Gdańsk fortresses Route, allowed applying these strategies to the Port Battery case study, presented in this paper. The coastal battery, built in the 19th century, is a brick ruin located in the restricted port area of Gdańsk, witness to several historical processes of transformation. To be able to represent the evolution of the building through history, the operational method regarded the digital acquisition of the building to obtain a detailed model representing the state of the battery. Then the archive research and the available historical maps allowed not only to make a comparison between the previous stages of construction and the actual situation but also to digitally reconstruct what has been destroyed. In this way, through Virtual Reality via Head Mounted Display it is possible to obtain an immersive, but accurate, experience of the digital reconstruction being able to re-live the history of a place.