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The St Andrews Cathedral – Digital Reconstruction prototype I presented for the course IS5110 (Digital Heritage and Preservation) is built using one of the most famous sandbox games, Minecraft. This is a form of 3D reconstruction, adopting a more creative approach that could potentially attract a broader audience because of the popularity and educational potential of the game.
Due to time and skill constraints, only the core part of the site has been recreated. A video tour with narration (recorded by me) was added to simulate the experience of a virtual visit.
For future development, the exhibit could potentially expand into a more detailed and fine-tuned model. This might include a dual reconstruction: both the original cathedral and the current ruins I have partially recreated. It could also include more detail for each gravestone, in memorial of the people of St Andrews whose souls remain with the cathedral.
Moreover, it could support more interactive actions—such as allowing people to explore the reconstructed site directly within Minecraft in a server-like way, without needing to download any extra files.
Climate Threats
Unfortunately, during my exploration of old photographs of the cathedral, it became clear that the ruins have already been visibly weathered over the centuries. The differences between photos show ongoing deterioration, with more gravestones being fenced off, and more areas of the site closed for repair.
As a coastal heritage site in Scotland, it remains vulnerable in the long term due to the impacts of climate change—especially strong winds and rain, which can further accelerate its deterioration. Digitally reconstructing the site in Minecraft helps preserve its current form as a visual and educational record, considering the uncertainty of the future.
Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- SDG 13 – Climate Action : This exhibit aims to raise awareness of how climate change can affect cultural heritage sites, encouraging reflection and potential action.
- SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities : By digitally preserving a historic site and making it accessible from home, the exhibit supports the goal of 11.4: Protect the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
- SDG 4 – Quality Education : The Minecraft model and guided video offer a creative and accessible way to learn about history, architecture, and sustainability, especially for younger audiences.
Video Tour
A guided walkthrough of the reconstructed cathedral in Minecraft, with subtitles and narration.
Gallery
Explore the site yourself
This digital reconstruction of St Andrews Cathedral was built in Minecraft Java Edition as part of a coursework project for IS5110 – Digital Heritage and Preservation. If you’d like to experience the site firsthand, you can download the world file and explore it on your own.
Download the Minecraft Reconstruction of the cathedral (.zip)
(Requires Minecraft Java Edition)
How to open it:
- Download and unzip the file.
- Move the extracted folder into your Minecraft saves directory:~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/saves ( For Mac Users )
- Open Minecraft, select “Singleplayer” , and launch the world.
( This build is not to scale, and many details were interpreted freely. But I hope it offers a quiet space to reflect, explore, and imagine. )
Thank you for walking through this space with me.