The Role of Digital Geometric Documentation for the Rehabilitation of the Tomb of Christ

The National Technical University of Athens undertook the Rehabilitation of the Holy Aedicule of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. This paper briefly presents the three-dimensional digital geometric documentation of the monument, which was considered necessary to support the characterization of materials, the identification of building phases and the diagnosis of decay and pathology using analytical and non-destructive techniques during all phases of the rehabilitation implementation. The provided information by these studies enabled the proper implementation of the necessary actions to restore the monument to a sustainable state for the future pilgrims. This work also demonstrates that the adoption of an interdisciplinary approach for integrated documentation is a powerful tool for a better understanding of monuments, both in terms of its structural integrity, as well as in terms of its state of preservation, both prerequisites for effective rehabilitation.