Documenting Romania’s Wooden Churches: Integrating Modern Digital Platforms with Vernacular Conservation

Abstract

Romania’s wooden churches, numbering over 1400, represent a unique and valuable cultural heritage. However, their preservation faces challenges due to degradation and insufficient documentation regarding their condition and significance. This paper presents innovative approaches to documenting these monuments using two representative online platforms. The “Biserici Înlemnite” platform focuses on inventorying wooden churches through a systematic methodology, while the 3D-VIMM platform provides a multimodal imaging and 3D data visualization solution aimed at creating digital twins for heritage assets. Advanced technologies, such as 3D digitization and Historical Building Information Modeling (H-BIM), enhance accessibility and precision in conservation planning. While H-BIM traditionally requires complex workflows, the 3D-VIMM platform simplifies the process by integrating diverse imaging techniques—visible, thermal, multispectral—and metadata within an intuitive interface. This enables interdisciplinary collaboration among historians, architects, conservators, and engineers. A case study from Arad County illustrates a possible path to the integration of these platforms, highlighting their potential to optimize data collection, prioritize interventions, and support long-term preservation strategies. The article underscores the importance of transdisciplinary methodologies in addressing the critical state of Romania’s wooden churches and provides insights into scalable solutions for heritage documentation and conservation.