Integrating geomatics and mixed reality for heritage visualization and experiential learning in an educational context

eXtended Reality (XR) technologies are increasingly employed for the visualization and communication of cultural heritage (CH), offering new opportunities for interpretation, documentation, and education. Within this context, the integration of XR with rigorous geomatic methodologies remains a relevant research topic, particularly for engineering-oriented applications. This paper presents a Mixed Reality (MR) application developed through a fully metric and integrated geomatic workflow in a university education context. The case study is the façade of the remaining structure of the San Salvatore ad Calchi medieval church, formerly identified as part of the Theodoric Palace, in Ravenna, Italy. Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS), close-range and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry, GNSS, and GIS data were systematically combined to produce an accurate three-dimensional documentation of the structure. A historical drawing from 1800’s – representing a previous constructive phase of the façade – was rectified using the obtained georeferenced orthophoto and transformed into a metrically consistent 3D model, enabling its in-situ superimposition onto the existing building within a MR environment. The application was developed in Unity and deployed on a Meta Quest 3 headset, permitting mutual visualization of real and virtual elements. Beyond the technical implementation, the study emphasizes the educational perspective. The complete Survey-to-XR workflow was integrated into a master’s-level Geomatics Engineering course focused on cultural heritage. Pre- and post-experience surveys indicate that XR enhances students’ understanding of integrated geomatic processes, spatial relationships, and data visualization and interpretation. The results support the use of MR as an effective educational tool when grounded in robust geomatic frameworks.