Abstract

The article examines the development of 3D modelling for the virtual reconstruction of cultural heritage sites that are entirely lost or partially preserved. This research direction emerged in Russia in the early 21st century. The Department of Historical Informatics at the Faculty of History, Lomonosov Moscow State University, is the preeminent scientific and educational center in this field. The article draws upon materials prepared by the department’s staff and other Russian researchers, and outlines modern approaches to implementing projects related to the creation of 3D models of various monuments of Russian cultural heritage. Moreover, an analysis is conducted of the issues that have accumulated over a period of twenty-five years of work in this area. The reconstructed objects include churches and monastic complexes, historical urban buildings that have since disappeared, industrial structures, noble estates (not only the exteriors of manor houses but also their interiors, as well as the surrounding park ensembles and other natural recreational complexes), the study of Emperor Nicholas I, postal and railway stations of the late 19th century, a 19th-century prison castle, revenue houses, and residential interiors of notable figures, as well as historical costumes. The paper presents a systematic overview of the data concerning the source base of 3D modelling of historical objects, with a particular emphasis on the distinctive characteristics of the analysis of its constituent elements. It provides examples of specifi c objects virtually reconstructed by the Department of Historical Informatics. In addition to the reconstruction of specifi c buildings, VR and AR technologies were utilized to recreate entire urban spatial environments in which these objects once existed. These reconstructions, when coupled with their historical contexts, can be exhibited on smartphones and tablets, thereby markedly enhancing the utilization of 3D modelling outcomes in educational tours and activities. The author concludes with a discussion of the potential for applying developments in virtual reconstruction of historical objects in museum exhibitions and in the preparation of restoration projects for surviving historical structures.