Municipal archaeologist Diogo Teixeira Dias has stated that the virtual tour will be based on a 3D model, allowing viewers to explore what the site looked like when it housed the wartime shelter. While part of the original structure remains–specifically, the opening for the light machine gun–most of it has vanished over time, as it was built using perishable materials like wood and earth.

Dias explained that they now “have a visual representation of what the shelter looked like, even though it no longer exists in its entirety.”

The reconstruction was made possible thanks to the archaeological fieldwork conducted in 2024. Using remaining traces and planimetric data, the municipal archaeology team developed a digital model, offering a detailed and immersive view of the fort’s historical context.

A second, more advanced version of the tour is also under development. It will feature a colour-coded scale indicating the level of archaeological evidence behind each reconstruction, emphasising the scientific foundation of the project rather than creative evidence.

The initiative received support from institutions within the Azores Museum Network, including the local municipal museum. Scientific contributions were provided by the Angra do Heroísmo Museum’s Military History section, the Azores Military Museum, and military historian José Manuel Salgado Martins.

Excavations in August 2024, co-directed by Diogo Dias and archaeologist Daniela Cabral, confirmed the existence of a World War II shelter within the 17th-century fort, revealing structural differences from historical records. The entire process was documented using advanced techniques such as photogrammetry, laser scanning, and 3D modeling.

The tour is now available online at https://skfb.ly/oUXPU