Commission showcases a pan-European collection of emblematic 3D-digitised cultural heritage assets

The collection was showcased during a high-level event in Brussels in the presence of Commissioner Thierry Breton and EU Ministers of Culture.

The collection results from the ‘Twin it! 3D for Europe's culture' campaign and includes a range of historic buildings, sites and objects, such as the statue of a Madonna Lactans located in Leuven, Belgium, the archaeological site of Delphi, Greece, the Freedom Monument in Riga, Latvia, and the Collegiate Church of St Martin the Bishop in Opatów, Poland. The full collection with 3D assets submitted by the respective Member States is available in the Twin-it! gallery on Europeana.

Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Internal Market, said:

The high-quality 3D models of Europe's cultural assets that we showcase today demonstrate European excellence in 3D digitisation. I encourage all Member States to harness the opportunities brought by digital technology and data to preserve our European cultural heritage for future generations and to foster innovative applications from education to tourism.

Launched on 21 June 2023, ‘Twin it!' invited the 27 EU Ministries of Culture to select and submit one 3D digitised cultural heritage asset. The campaign aimed to encourage innovation and accelerate the use and reuse of 3D while supporting Member States in their digitisation and preservation efforts.

The European Commission Recommendation of 2021 on a common European data space for cultural heritage invites EU Member States to digitise in 3D all monuments and sites deemed at risk, and half of the most physically visited by 2030. The ‘Twin it! 3D for Europe's culture' initiative contributes to achieving these ambitious objectives.