Axel Tixhon, scientific guarantor of a historic augmented reality project

In the photo: Édouard Lecanuet, production assistant at Histovery, Minister Valérie Lescrenier in charge of Tourism and Heritage, Marc de Villenfagne, managing director of the Citadelle of Dinant, and Axel Tixhon, professor in the History Department at UNamur, inaugurate the HistoPad, a 3D reconstruction tool of the history of the Citadelle of Dinant. A project scientifically validated by Axel Tixhon.

Thanks to an interactive tablet christened HistoPad, the public can explore the site like never before. At various points along the route, visitors discover historical scenes recreated in 3D, supported by rigorous documentation and faithful reproductions of period settings, costumes and objects.

Three key periods have been selected for this immersion:

• 1821, Dutch period and construction of the fort
• 1832, Belgian period during which the Citadelle becomes a military prison
• 1914, during the First World War, the site is the scene of confrontations

Professor Tixhon was involved in all stages of the project, as a member of the scientific committee. Initially, he highlighted historically interesting events and traces still visible today, such as artillery pieces, an old kitchen or a bakery. It also provided Histovery with relevant and reliable documentation.

His expertise has made it possible to assess the historical accuracy of the reconstructions.

Some locations have also been virtually recreated from ancient iconographic sources, such as an ingenious wooden mechanism that once carried water from the Meuse to the fortress.

Histovery, already known for its achievements at the Château de Chambord, the Palais de papes in Avignon and Fort Alamo in the USA, here signs a Walloon first, blending heritage, innovation and scientific rigor. A success that demonstrates, once again, the relevance of dialogue between experts at the University of Namur and socio-economic and cultural players.