Visualisation of place and landscape

For several decades digital 3D models and virtual environments have been used in the domains of archaeology and cultural heritage. Over time, the advantages of these digital visualisations of historical places and landscapes have become widely recognized and appreciated. Much knowhow is now available regarding their usability and effectiveness in meeting specific goals, for instance in education. Here, in an overview of 3D visualisation addressed to professionals in the cultural heritage domain seeking the most effective means for telling their stories to their audiences, we will discuss the stages involved in the development of a largescale interactive 3D visualization. The focus will be on some practical and theoretical questions which often arise during the process. We pay particular attention to three important topics: user-centred design methods; the challenges of using historical sources and modern techniques to build large-scale virtual environments; and visualisation styles and presentation modes, such as those used, for example, to represent temporal changes or to create ambience.