Pamukkale gets 3D virtual effects with new application

DENİZLİ - Anadolu Agency

Pamukkale still attracts tourists with its white waters and environment. DHA Photo

Those not lucky enough to visit one of Turkey’s most famous sites, the travertine falls of Pamukkale, will soon have a chance to do so at least virtually after a software engineer developed a 3-D map of the area.

Ercan Gigi, a Turkish engineer who works in the Netherlands as a researcher for Philips, has created a website that allows people to view 3-D images of cultural sites around the world, including Pamukkale in the southwestern province of Denizli. There are currently 60 3-D photos of the famous site, which attracts a large number of tourists every year, on Gigi’s website, www.3dmekanlar.com.

The website gives viewers the opportunity to visit many religious and touristic venues in Turkey and in some in other countries. “I encountered this technique in 2000 when I discovered 360-degree panoramic photos taken by foreigners, and I loved them,” Gigi told Anatolia news agency. While noting that he later decided to use this technique on his own website, the engineer said, “I thought that the photos were not [good] enough to exhibit on an Internet site because the software was insufficient.” Other Turkish cultural sites on 3dmekanlar.com include Topkapı Palace, the Sultanahmet Mosque.