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Heritage
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Applications of Digital Technologies in the Heritage Preservation
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Applications of Digital Technologies in the Heritage Preservation

A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 8301

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Lidia Fiorini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Florence, La Sapienza University of Rome, 50139 Florence, Italy
Interests: cultural heritage; 3D digital documentation; photogrammetry; laser scanning; built heritage; ontologies
Prof. Dr. Grazia Tucci

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DICEA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy
Interests: geomatics; digital twin; laser scanner; photogrammetry; cultural heritage digitisation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Franco Niccolucci

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Fondazione PIN, Piazza dell’Università, 59100 Prato, Italy
Interests: semantics for cultural heritage; 3D and VR/AR/XR applications to cultural heritage; digital methods in archaeology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The role played by three-dimensional digital documentation in cultural heritage conservation is now increasingly recognised as a key pillar in the process of documentation, conservation, and valorisation. Accurate, high-resolution models of cultural heritage sites, buildings, and artefacts have become essential for safeguarding the tangible and intangible values of our cultural heritage.

This Special Issue on Applications of Digital Technologies in the Heritage Preservation aims to explore the diverse and changing ways in which digital tools are reshaping the documentation, preservation, and sharing of cultural heritage. It aims to present innovative methodological approaches and practical applications resulting from interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaborations. By bringing together contributions from different fields, the Special Issue will highlight the potential of digital technologies to enrich, protect, and communicate cultural heritage in a variety of contexts and in a sustainable manner.

In particular, 3D data capture and modelling has benefited from both consolidated and emerging tools that support the integrated collection and production of spatial data, and the continued development of semantic classification and segmentation techniques, coupled with pioneering research on artificial intelligence, is providing increasingly sophisticated tools that enable the analysis and interpretation of complex heritage datasets.

The effective management of 3D and spatial data is critical to the full exploitation of digital heritage resources, and structured data management systems now play a central role in ensuring the long-term preservation and usability of digital resources, while supporting data interoperability across platforms and disciplines for the creation of cultural ecosystems.

Spatially organised information systems, such as geographic information systems (GISs) and building information modelling (BIM), have emerged as powerful frameworks for the integration, visualisation, and analysis of heritage data, offering new opportunities for decision making and implementation of conservation measures.

In addition, the semantic enrichment of digital cultural assets significantly enhances their descriptive, informational and cognitive value. This level of interpretation promotes a deeper understanding of the cultural significance of heritage resources and facilitates their accessibility and reuse in a variety of academic, educational and professional settings.

Digital technologies not only offer innovative approaches to documentation, analysis, and restoration, but also provide crucial solutions for the dissemination and long-term protection of cultural heritage.

The natural and anthropogenic hazards that put our heritage at risk of physical and cultural loss have led to a multidisciplinary approach that combines geomatics and diagnostic tools and techniques (as reflected in the latest guidelines), contributing significantly to the sustainability, resilience, and global accessibility of cultural heritage.

We welcome practical and theoretical contributions from a wide range of disciplines, including but not limited to 3D data capture, semantic data management, digital modelling, heritage conservation, archaeology, architecture, and applied heritage informatics. Papers may address methodological developments, case studies, critical reviews, or conceptual insights that advance the understanding and application of digital technologies in the cultural heritage sector.

Prof. Lidia Fiorini
Dr. Grazia Tucci
Prof. Dr. Franco Niccolucci
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • approaches to cultural heritage
  • 3D digital tecnologies
  • architectural heritage information systems
  • digital twins
  • 3D data and semantics
  • knowledgebase systems
  • heritage and environment
  • risk analysis
  • CH monitoring
  • sustainability

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

36 pages, 17964 KB  
Article
A Digital Reconstruction of the Tramezzo and Presbytery in S. Remigio, Florence
by George R. Bent, David M. Pfaff and Kelan Joiner
Heritage 2026, 9(5), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9050178 - 30 Apr 2026
Viewed by 251
Abstract
A three-phase digital reconstruction of the now-lost tramezzo and presbytery of the parish church of S. Remigio in Florence, Italy visualizes the interior of this small gothic space as it may have appeared at the end of the fourteenth century. Using data collected [...] Read more.
A three-phase digital reconstruction of the now-lost tramezzo and presbytery of the parish church of S. Remigio in Florence, Italy visualizes the interior of this small gothic space as it may have appeared at the end of the fourteenth century. Using data collected from a combination of Terrestrial Laser scans (TLS), high resolution photographs, architectural evidence, and archival information, the Digital Humanities team of Florence As It Was has recreated the structure that once bisected this Medieval worship center, including three of the paintings that may have adorned it, to reveal the spatial and artistic relationships valued by the proprietors and users of the neighborhood church. The results provide an example of how traditional art–historical questions surrounding the original appearance of spaces and structures may be queried and then tested through the employment of Remote Sensing technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Digital Technologies in the Heritage Preservation)
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19 pages, 7133 KB  
Article
An Integrated Workflow from Reality-Based Survey to HBIM and Immersive Reconstruction: The Aeclanum Archaeological Park
by Marco Limongiello, Lorenzo Radaelli and Laura De Girolamo
Heritage 2026, 9(5), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9050174 - 30 Apr 2026
Viewed by 400
Abstract
Archaeological sites present critical issues related to fragmented documentation systems, the difficulty of integrating stratigraphic analyses with three-dimensional survey data, and the lack of digital tools capable of connecting scientific documentation, conservation needs, and public dissemination. This study proposes an integrated digital workflow [...] Read more.
Archaeological sites present critical issues related to fragmented documentation systems, the difficulty of integrating stratigraphic analyses with three-dimensional survey data, and the lack of digital tools capable of connecting scientific documentation, conservation needs, and public dissemination. This study proposes an integrated digital workflow for the archaeological park of Aeclanum, in which reality-based multi-scale survey data are transformed into an HBIM model structured through stratigraphic interpretation, material analysis, and semantically organised information. The resulting three-dimensional dataset supports the subsequent Scan-to-BIM process, ensuring consistency between the digital representation and the existing remains. Within this framework, the HBIM model is conceived not only as a geometric representation of the current state, but also as an information environment incorporating data on construction techniques, materials, and decay conditions, thus providing a basis for conservation-oriented assessment and future intervention priorities. At the same time, the model supports digital reconstruction hypotheses consistent with archaeological evidence, later developed within an immersive environment that allows visitors to compare the present condition of the site with its reconstructed historical configuration. The workflow highlights the potential of HBIM as an interface between survey, knowledge organisation, conservation support, and digital enhancement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Digital Technologies in the Heritage Preservation)
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33 pages, 22526 KB  
Article
The Analysis of a Column of the Tomb 7 Colonnade at the Tombs of the Kings Archeological Site: A Comparative Evaluation of Scan-to-FEM Methodologies
by Francesca Turchetti, Daniela Oreni, Renos Votsis, Nicholas Kyriakides, Branka Cuca and Athos Agapiou
Heritage 2026, 9(3), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9030100 - 3 Mar 2026
Viewed by 596
Abstract
This research investigates the colonnade of Tomb 7 at the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Tombs of the Kings in Paphos, Cyprus. Specifically, a multi-drum column located at the south-east corner of the tomb is examined from both geometric and structural perspectives. [...] Read more.
This research investigates the colonnade of Tomb 7 at the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Tombs of the Kings in Paphos, Cyprus. Specifically, a multi-drum column located at the south-east corner of the tomb is examined from both geometric and structural perspectives. Being the only standing element to support the entablature on that side of the tomb, the column is crucial for maintaining the structural stability of the monument. Numerical structural analyses are performed on the column via the finite element method (FEM), supported by close-range recording techniques—particularly terrestrial laser scanning (TLS)—to generate finite element (FE) models. Several modelling strategies capable of converting point cloud data into reliable structural models are developed and compared with the aim of identifying the most effective and cost-efficient approach. Each method is analyzed in detail to evaluate its workflow, assumptions, strengths, and limitations in the context of heritage structures with complex irregular geometries. Linear static and dynamic analyses are performed on five different FE models to assess the column’s mechanical response and to understand how differences in geometric representation affect the structural behaviour. The results indicate that all approaches adequately capture the general structural response. The comparison of the different modelling strategies highlights the trade-offs between geometric accuracy, computational efficiency, and practical usability. These outcomes indicate the potential and the current limitations of exploiting point cloud data for structural analysis and contribute to the development of more robust and accurate scan-to-FEM methodologies for the conservation and assessment of cultural heritage structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Digital Technologies in the Heritage Preservation)
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26 pages, 10910 KB  
Article
A Framework for Cultural Heritage Documentation, Safeguarding and Preservation Planning in Urban Environments—The Case of the Morosini Fountain
by Dimitrios Makris, Christina Sakellariou, Leonidas Karampinis, Maria Deli, Alexios-Nikolaos Stefanis, Georgios Bardis and Maria Mertzani
Heritage 2026, 9(3), 97; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9030097 - 28 Feb 2026
Viewed by 563
Abstract
This research establishes a high-fidelity documentation framework utilizing multi-sensor 3D data to support critical decisions regarding the conservation and preservation of monuments in urban environments. Focus is placed on the Morosini Fountain, Heraklion, Crete, a 17th-century monument facing significant deterioration due to environmental [...] Read more.
This research establishes a high-fidelity documentation framework utilizing multi-sensor 3D data to support critical decisions regarding the conservation and preservation of monuments in urban environments. Focus is placed on the Morosini Fountain, Heraklion, Crete, a 17th-century monument facing significant deterioration due to environmental stressors, material-specific decay of limestone and marble, and cumulative historical interventions. Placed within the context of contemporary cultural heritage management, the research establishes a high-fidelity 3D digital representative to support interdisciplinary documentation and a decision-support framework for restoration. The methodology employs handheld structured light scanning for high geometric accuracy with close-range digital photogrammetry to ensure high-fidelity color acquisition. Strategic semantic segmentation of the monument into architectural components—such as lobes, lions, and basins—facilitated large scale dataset management and optimized alignment procedures under challenging urban conditions, including intense direct sunlight and active water flow. Results include the delivery of metrically accurate multi-resolution models and 2D orthographic products. Quantitative pathology mapping successfully identified extensive affected surface areas on specific panels, while multi-scale geometric morphological analysis effectively identified high-complexity surface areas, which were subsequently classified as either intentional artistic form or active decay through expert visual assessment between intentional artistic form and active alveolar erosion or exogenous accretions. The study concludes that this enhanced digital model serves as an indispensable tool for sustainable management, transforming passive records into active predictive simulations. The implementation of multi-sensor 3D data provides the essential evidentiary basis for high-stakes conservation decisions, demonstrating that comprehensive digital recording is vital for the resilience of urban heritage landmarks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Digital Technologies in the Heritage Preservation)
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34 pages, 1427 KB  
Article
Algorithmic Heritage and AI-Assisted Museums in Morocco and Egypt—From Clouded Coloniality to Techno-Cultural Empowerment
by Jérémie Eyssette
Heritage 2026, 9(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9010008 - 25 Dec 2025
Viewed by 2498
Abstract
This article provides a comparative examination of two AI-assisted museums in Africa, the Dar Gnawa Museum (Marrakech) and the Grand Egyptian Museum (Cairo). It analyzes the AI functions and the strategies these institutions adopt to pursue techno-cultural empowerment in a field long shaped [...] Read more.
This article provides a comparative examination of two AI-assisted museums in Africa, the Dar Gnawa Museum (Marrakech) and the Grand Egyptian Museum (Cairo). It analyzes the AI functions and the strategies these institutions adopt to pursue techno-cultural empowerment in a field long shaped by power asymmetries in Africa. The literature review highlights how technological transfers in museum cooperation remain an overlooked vector of coloniality which the convergence of AI and heritage practices now brings sharply into view. This article develops the notion of clouded coloniality—a dual phenomenon in which heritage data is literally managed in the cloud, often from abroad, while diffracted layers of actors and processes obscure the identification of new imbalances in and around AI-assisted museums. This article designs a two-pronged analytical framework which first assesses AI functions within the Dar Gnawa Museum and the GEM, and then evaluates sustainable synergies between these institutions and their broader AI ecosystem. The results indicate that whereas the GEM prioritizes youth empowerment, the tourism industry, and partnerships with foreign stakeholders that could potentially expose Egypt’s cultural sovereignty, the Dar Gnawa Museum independently developed an AI tool, Kouyou, that could offer a transferable model for advancing Pan-African techno-cultural empowerment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Digital Technologies in the Heritage Preservation)
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43 pages, 6411 KB  
Article
The Art Nouveau Path: Valuing Urban Heritage Through Mobile Augmented Reality and Sustainability Education
by João Ferreira-Santos and Lúcia Pombo
Heritage 2026, 9(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9010004 - 23 Dec 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 997
Abstract
Cultural heritage is framed as a living resource for citizenship and education, although evidence on how in situ augmented reality can cultivate sustainability competences remains limited. This study examines the Art Nouveau Path, a location-based mobile augmented reality game across eight points [...] Read more.
Cultural heritage is framed as a living resource for citizenship and education, although evidence on how in situ augmented reality can cultivate sustainability competences remains limited. This study examines the Art Nouveau Path, a location-based mobile augmented reality game across eight points of interest in Aveiro, Portugal, aligned with the GreenComp framework. Within a design-based research case study, the analysis integrates repeated cross-sectional student questionnaires (S1-PRE N = 221; S2-POST N = 439; S3-FU N = 434), anonymized gameplay logs from 118 collaborative groups, and 24 teacher field observations (T2-OBS), using quantitative summaries with reflexive thematic analysis. References to heritage preservation in students’ sustainability conceptions rose from 28.96% at baseline to 61.05% immediately after gameplay, remaining above baseline at follow-up (47.93%). Augmented reality items were answered more accurately than non- augmented reality items (81% vs. 73%) and involved longer on-site exploration (+10.17 min). Triangulated evidence indicates that augmented reality and multimodality amplified attention to architectural details and prompted debates about authenticity. Built heritage, mobilized through lightweight augmented reality within a digital teaching and learning ecosystem, can serve as an effective context for Education for Sustainable Development, strengthening preservation literacy and civic responsibility and generating interoperable cultural traces for future reuse. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Digital Technologies in the Heritage Preservation)
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18 pages, 7923 KB  
Article
Design and Development of a Scientific Lithotheque: Application to the LitUCA Case Study (University of Cádiz)
by José Luis Ramírez-Amador, Eduardo Molina-Piernas, José Ramos-Muñoz, Laura Pavón-González and Salvador Domínguez-Bella
Heritage 2025, 8(8), 339; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8080339 - 19 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1401
Abstract
The creation of the LitUCA lithotheque represents a significant methodological advance in geoarchaeological research in the southwest of Spain. This article presents a systematic framework for the conservation, documentation, and digital integration of lithic collections, with particular emphasis on data traceability, reproducibility, and [...] Read more.
The creation of the LitUCA lithotheque represents a significant methodological advance in geoarchaeological research in the southwest of Spain. This article presents a systematic framework for the conservation, documentation, and digital integration of lithic collections, with particular emphasis on data traceability, reproducibility, and interoperability. The methodology adopted is inspired by international standards, adapted to the regional context, and incorporates rigorous protocols for sampling, analytical documentation, and a relational database system. The collection comprises over 5000 items, all of which are catalogued, photographed, and characterised both petrographically and morphometrically, with metadata being progressively aligned with FAIR principles, aiming for full compliance in the future. Preliminary analysis demonstrates the collection’s capacity to facilitate comparative studies of procurement, mobility, and lithic technological organisation. Furthermore, the digital infrastructure developed promotes remote access and fosters both academic and societal collaboration. Despite ongoing challenges regarding sample representativeness and interoperability, LitUCA stands as a scalable and versatile model for the management of lithotheques. This study highlights the importance of integrated lithotheques for scientific progress, heritage management, and interdisciplinary education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Digital Technologies in the Heritage Preservation)
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