A Gothic Architectural Gem Recreated in Digital Form

We are proud to announce the completion of the project “Collegiate Church in Stargard – a Gothic Pearl of West Pomerania”, made possible with the support of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage under the Digital Culture program and the budget of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. This extraordinary initiative has enabled the digital preservation of one of the most valuable heritage sites in West Pomerania – the Collegiate Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the World in Stargard.

This Gothic church, recognized as one of the masterpieces of brick architecture in Europe, has been digitally and virtually preserved to endure for future generations, regardless of the challenges time may bring.

The project was carried out under particularly demanding circumstances. The digitization work coincided with comprehensive conservation efforts inside the church. The conservation team focused on restoring the vaults, polychromes, and movable elements of the interior. Despite these challenges, our team successfully completed the project, ensuring the highest quality of digital documentation. The coordination of efforts between conservators and our foundation’s digitization specialists was a true test of collaboration, culminating in complete success.

Achievements of the Project

• 3D Scanning of the Collegiate Church’s Structure and Interior:
  Using 3D laser scanning technology, we recreated the architecture of the entire church, including every architectural detail—from tracery and pinnacles to ornate portals and the monumental interior vaults.
• Gigapixel Photography of Details and Movable Heritage:
  We captured richly decorated elements, including the main altar, magnificent stained glass windows, and invaluable frescoes in the chapels surrounding the presbytery. Gigapixel images enable viewers to explore these treasures in a resolution far exceeding the capacity of the human eye.
• 3D Models and Virtual Tours:
  We created interactive 3D models of movable objects and architectural details using structured white and blue light scanners. These models allow virtual exploration of the collegiate church, enabling everyone, regardless of location, to admire this Gothic masterpiece in its full glory.
• Conservation Documentation:
  All data has been made available for free on a dedicated website to support ongoing conservation efforts and to enable online exploration of the church in compliance with WCAG 2.1 standards.

The Collegiate Church in Stargard, despite its beauty and historical significance, has faced ongoing challenges related to time, moisture, and the degradation of construction materials. Thanks to our digital documentation, this monument has been preserved in a form that not only allows its beauty to be appreciated but also supports conservation work and academic research.

We invite you to visit the Trail of Marian Churches, where you can see the results of our work in the form of digital 3D models, gigapixel photography, and the full project documentation → Collegiate Church in Stargard – a Gothic Pearl of West Pomerania.

Help us spread the word about this extraordinary collegiate church—share this message and invite your friends to discover the beauty of Polish heritage in digital form.