3D Laser Scanning, Photogrammetric and Topographic surveying monuments in Mirtu – Agios Panteleimonas

The History of St. Panteleimon

Saint Panteleimon Monastery is a former Eastern Orthodox monastery in Cyprus, located in the village Mirtu/Çamlibel is an important evidence of the rich history of Cyprus.

Its history starts back on the 17th century, when according to the tradition and sayings of elder people, two monks from Lapithos, Dorotheos and Dositheos, left their monastery of Saint Panteleimon at Agio Oros in Greece, coming back to their island Cyprus to start a new monastery. Saint Panteleimon showed the place to the two monks by springing holly water in this location. Saint Panteleimon is celebrated on the 27th of July each year and before the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, many people from all over Cyprus were visiting the monastery to pay their respects to St. Panteleimon as well as people from abroad. Since the invasion, the monastery of Saint Panteleimon remains empty.

The monument has high cultural, and religious values that need to be shared with future Cypriots and the faithful. Therefore, the physical evidence must be understood and preserved. It is a complex of multiple buildings all constructed of various techniques over a long period of time. The monastery is an important site given its history and significance. It is a physical testament to the history of the region and Cyprus. The monastic complex can be considered composed by three main parts: the landscape features and archaeological remains, the surrounding monastic buildings and the main central church. More specifically, this site is quite complex as it consists of five major buildings and other site elements such as a fountain, aqueduct, and archaeological ruins, historic trees and landscape. All of it functioned originally together as the Monastery was a self-sufficient complex, school, community and religious centre. While the church was the spiritual centre, the monastic buildings were the learning, working and living centres. These buildings housed the meeting and reception rooms, offices, school, living quarters and dining facilities of the monastery.

The data collection of the survey begun with image capturing, sketches, recording measurements, and written description of the buildings.

The survey included an area map, site plan, topographic plan, roof plan, floor plans, elevations, sections, details in specific positions that where required and other graphic information to assist the condition assessment and preparation of working drawings for conservation intervention

The project

In 2013, an EU funded project was started by the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage and the United Nations Development Programme with a view to support the Monuments of Great Importance for the Communities of Cyprus. Within this framework, a study “Survey, Investigations, Assessment and Project Design” of St. Panteleimon site was carried out between April and May 2014.The aim of the Study, was first to identify the critical problems, research and understand the entire complex, and then create the designs for stabilizing of the church building, protecting of the elements in the monastic buildings that are at most risk while observing internationally recognised conservation standards, improving the rain water management of the site, creating a safe environment for the community and visitors and last but not least accommodating persons with disabilities by an access path. But just as important – the sense of age, time and evolution process of construction had also to be preserved.

Within this framework, Geoimaging ltd in cooperation with Tecnalia, a Spanish consultancy performed services and carried out the surveying, investigation, intervention, assessment, and designs of the project. More specifically, the church and the monastic buildings as well as the rest of the site was surveyed and mapped using a 3D laser scanner in combination with photogrammetry and conventional surveying methods. Then, based on the survey, condition assessment was conducted and intervention ideas related to conservation, safety, enhancement, education and access for visitors were proposed.

The implementation of the project started with the reconnaissance visit on the site, were surveying, documenting, collecting data tasks were performed. Afterwards, it was determined if further studies or surveys are needed. The surveying process consisted of specific subtasks, which were the establishment of the survey traverse including permanent station points for the survey, the establishment of locations for shade free photography and placement of targets for photogrammetry, GPS and laser scanning. This also included a safety analysis of risks, site access and brush clearing. The data collection of the survey begun with image capturing, sketches, recording measurements, and written description of the buildings. More specifically all sides of the monument were mapped using a 3D laser scanner. For specific parts of the building that had high architectural details and were at the top parts of the building were captured and then photos were ortho-rectified. The resultant planimetrically corrected images were vectorized and combined with the plans resulted from the laser scanning measurements. For cross sections and overview plans a total station was used. For the roof plan, the method of kite balloon aerial photogrammetry was used.

The survey included an area map, site plan, topographic plan, roof plan, floor plans, elevations, cross sections, details in specific positions that where required and other graphic information to assist the condition assessment and preparation of working drawings for conservation intervention.

The data collection of the survey begun with image capturing, sketches, recording measurements, and written description of the buildings.