---
type: entity
title: TOPORAZ
tags: [virtual-research-environment, 3d-modeling, nuremberg, digital-humanities]
related: [gerhard-weilandt, transraz, virtual-reconstruction, digital-art-history]
created: 2026-07-13
updated: 2026-07-13
sources: ["output_cdfi/cdfi_uni_greifswald_de_kunstgeschichte_mitarbeitende_ehemalige_mitarbeitende_pro.md"]
---

# TOPORAZ

**TOPORAZ** (Topographie in Raum und Zeit) is a pioneering Virtual Research Environment (VRE) developed between 2015 and 2018 by the University of Greifswald, the Leibniz Institut FIZ Karlsruhe, and other partners.

## Purpose and Scope
The project focuses on the topography of the **Hauptmarkt** (main market square) in Nuremberg. It created scientifically founded 3D models across four time stages, from the Baroque period to the present.

## Technical Implementation
- **Georeferencing:** All 3D models are fully georeferenced and linked to a database of historical texts, images, and maps.
- **Scientific Validation:** To avoid "vague illustrativeness," the project used a combination of existing ruins (e.g., Frauenkirche), 16th-century drawings, 19th-century photographs, and building records.
- **Levels of Detail (LoD):** The project implemented five levels of detail (LoD A-E), ranging from simple volumetric boxes (LoD A) to highly detailed models with facades and courtyards (LoD E).
- **Open Science:** Data is provided under free licenses to ensure sustainability and broad academic use.

## Significance
TOPORAZ serves as a platform for merging heterogeneous research data from various historical disciplines, supporting transdisciplinary work in [[digital-art-history]].
