From Geodata to Immersive Heritage Experiences: A Virtual Reality Case Study in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland

Virtual reality and geovisualization offer new ways to present, study, and experience geographic space, including urban cultural heritage. This article presents the process of creating a gamified VR application focused on selected preserved monuments in the centre of Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland, a city whose historic fabric was strongly affected by World War II. The aim of the project was not only to introduce users to the city’s cultural heritage, but also to encourage greater interest in, respect for, and appreciation of that heritage. The work was divided into four stages: conceptual design, data preparation, implementation, and publication/evaluation. The application was developed using geospatial data, orthophotography, LoD1 building models, field photographs, archival postcards, manual 3D modelling, interface design, and implementation in Unity. The final VR environment allows users to explore part of the city, view information about monuments, match historical postcards with buildings, receive feedback, collect points, and move between stations. The application was additionally evaluated through an online questionnaire completed by 20 students. The results indicated a generally positive perception of its educational and heritage-communication potential, while the realism of the vegetation appears to be an area that could benefit from further improvement. The case study shows that immersive geovisualization can support spatial understanding, engagement, and heritage communication, and presents a workflow that may be adapted for similar cultural heritage projects.