Heritage Day - Presentation on the Digitization of the Church in Kefermarkt

Presentation: Digitization of the Church and Altar in Kefermarkt

The Gothic winged altar in Kefermarkt is among the most significant and highest-quality examples of its kind in art history. In September and October 2025, the church and the altar were digitized. This work is now on display at the Stöckl, Oberer Markt 2, 4292 Kefermarkt.

The consortium “Kulturerbe Archiv,” led by Jean Claude Grieco and Christoph Schindelar, is responsible for the digitization of the church and the altar. In addition to Kefermarkt, the consortium is also digitizing all other Gothic Route churches in the Mühlviertel region as part of the Interreg project “Gothic Route Mühlviertel – South Bohemia,” all other Gothic Route churches in the Mühlviertel region are being digitized.

In an interview, Christoph Schindelar said: “Our work shows how digitization can lead to impressive and captivating virtual experiences. It really feels as if you’re there in person—and that’s exactly our goal. We want to make extraordinary cultural heritage accessible to everyone while also helping to preserve it.”

Focus and Program: Digitization & Innovation
As part of the project, modern methods of hybrid 3D capture and visualization were employed. These are based on a combination of:

• Photogrammetry—photo-based 3D reconstruction
• Laser scanning—laser-based 3D surveying
• 3D Gaussian Splatting – realistic 3D visualization using photographically generated, spatial image particles

The project is funded by the EU’s Interreg program.

Events: Guided tours at
from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Christoph Schindelar and Jean-Claude Grieco will explain the techniques used, highlight fascinating details using the zoom function, and demonstrate the possibilities opened up by digitization using VR headsets.

• A film about the significance of digitization featuring recording engineer Christoph Schindelar.
• A digital, interactive tour around the altar, with the option to zoom in on even the smallest details—from the base to the top—and learn about selected stories related to the altar.
• The opportunity to use virtual reality glasses to paint the altar as it might have looked in the past or as you imagine it should look.