3D views of the White Mountains/ Lefka Ori, West Crete

by Steve Crow, UK

These 3D views of the Lefka Ori were rendered using a program called TERRAGEN - a freeware terrain generator.

You can click on the sample photos below to see the full size ones.

The Lefka Ori - White Mountains - West Crete

The Lefka Ori - White Mountains - West Crete - click to see full size pic

First of all, the contour lines of a Harms Verlag 1:100,000 map were manually traced and digitised to produce a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the area.

digital elevation model DEM digital elevation model DEM

The DEM was then deformed (rotated, resized and stretched) until it lined up and matched with part of a satellite image of West Crete available from NASA.

The DEM was then opened in TERRAGEN and the satellite image "draped" over it.

Once this is done the terrain can be viewed from any angle.


View from the South East

View from the South East: The Lefka Ori - White Mountains - West Crete - click to see full size pic

Above Omalos

Above Omalos: The Lefka Ori - White Mountains - West Crete - click to see full size pic

Above Kastro

Above Kastro: The Lefka Ori - White Mountains - West Crete - click to see full size pic

The terrain can also be exaggerated vertically and the lighting changed.

With Vertical Exaggeration

With Vertical Exaggeration: The Lefka Ori - White Mountains - West Crete - click to see full size pic

There are a couple of problems with all these views.

Firstly if you look there are two Aradena gorges running parallel with each other. This is because I couldn't get the underlying terrain to exactly match the satellite photo.

Secondly the peak of Gingilos is missing! This is because the Harms Verlag 1:100,000 map I used to digitise the contours has left out 5 or 6 contour lines at the peak. I've seen this omission on other maps as well.

Can you help me?

I can improve these views and sharpen up the definition of the terrain if I could only get my hands on better maps. German WW2 1:25,000 invasion maps are very good and obviously out of copyright. Also US Army (1:50,000 10 meter contours) exist, I have seen the index and have the sheet number but have never actually seen one. I have also seen small section of Greek Cyrillic maps with 20m contours.

Maps with bathymetric information (sea depth) would also be useful as I could show underwater terrain.

If anyone has any scans or sources of maps, Arial/satellite photos this would help me a great deal. Even fragments of maps would be useful as these would help me add local detail.

Also does anyone know of a program (preferably freeware) which will deform an image to match another?

Thanks in advance.

Steve Crow


Hospitality Sfakia

Hospitality in Sfakia

The Sfakians are famous for their hospitality. The locals welcome their guests like friends. Many visitors come back to Crete to visit Sfakia year after year. Enjoy their generosity!

Impressive nature

Impressive nature

Rough white topped mountains up to 2453 metres high, split by 25+ gorges, fertile plains, forests, and the blue sea, and inbetween them small whitewashed villages with many coves and unspoilt beaches.

History and tradition

History and tradition

Brave people that have stood up against their many invaders, preserving their tradition of independence, celebrating their victories with music, poetry and dance, together with friends!