Geoportals / LIDAR by federal state
Geoportals & LiDAR maps
by German state
All official geoportals of the 16 German states with LiDAR data, hillshade maps and digital terrain models – your central starting point for researching the terrain.
What is behind it? LiDAR, DTM & hillshade explained
LiDAR
Light Detection and Ranging: an airborne laser scanner sends millions of laser pulses per second to the ground and uses time-of-flight measurement to record how long the reflected light takes to return to the sensor. The result is a highly accurate 3D point cloud – hidden terrain features become visible even under dense forest.
DTM – digital terrain model
The DTM (in German: DGM) shows the bare ground without vegetation or buildings. The data is stored in a regular grid – the DTM1 has a point spacing of just 1 metre and a height accuracy of ≤ 15 cm on level ground. Almost all German states now provide it free of charge.
Hillshade
A hillshade (in German: Schummerung) simulates light falling at an angle – usually from the north-west – across the terrain model. This creates light and shadow that make even the smallest unevenness such as ramparts, ditches, sunken lanes or burial mounds stand out in relief. In GIS software you can set the direction of the light freely.
How a terrain model is created – airborne laser scanning
In the variant relevant to archaeology, airborne laser scanning (ALS), a laser scanner mounted in an aircraft or helicopter scans the ground from low altitude. The sensor emits millions of laser pulses per second and measures, for each one, the time until the reflected light returns (time of flight). This time and the known speed of light give the exact distance – and therefore the height of every single measuring point.
Some of the pulses are reflected by leaves and branches, while others pass through gaps in the canopy down to the forest floor. For the digital terrain model, only the lowest reflection points in each area are used – the vegetation is effectively “calculated out”. That is exactly why ramparts, ditches and mounds hidden under dense forest become visible at all.
LiDAR has revolutionised archaeology in forested regions worldwide – from the Maya cities of Central America and the Khmer sites of Cambodia to Roman fortifications and road networks in Central Europe. What lay hidden under vegetation for centuries now stands out clearly in the terrain model.
What do detectorists use LiDAR maps for?
- Finding old sunken lanes, pilgrim paths and Roman roads under forest cover
- Recognising burial mounds, ring forts and Celtic rectangular enclosures (Viereckschanzen)
- Revealing bomb craters and trenches from the Second World War
- Identifying vanished settlements and deserted villages
- Planning search areas before actually going out into the field
- Mapping registered archaeological monuments to avoid prohibited areas
- Combining them with historical maps and aerial photos for deeper research
- Creating your own terrain models with GIS software such as QGIS
Spotted something? Your next steps
A striking feature on the hillshade map is only the beginning. Before the spade goes into the ground, three things need to be clarified – ideally in this order:
Check the legal situation
Monument protection and permit requirements are regulated differently in each German state. If you want to search legally, check this first – otherwise you risk heavy penalties.
Laws & permitsFind the right detector
Forest floor, ploughed field or mineralised ground – every terrain has different requirements. Tell us where you search and we will recommend the right detector.
Ask for adviceGet personal advice
Our advice is based on more than 30 years of hands-on experience as active detectorists. Tell us about your plans – we will find the right equipment.
Get in touchLiDAR examples from practice
All the features shown are registered archaeological monuments and strictly off-limits to every detectorist!
© Data: Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection (BLfD) & Bavarian State Office for Digitisation, Broadband and Surveying
Geoportals by German state – all links
In addition to the LiDAR hillshade, these portals also show registered architectural and archaeological monuments – these areas are protected by law and should of course be avoided by a wide margin. The quality of the data and how easy the portals are to use vary considerably from state to state.
One of the best viewers in Germany. Hillshade (relief) can be shown directly, archaeological monuments are a separate layer. Very good resolution and easy to use.
Open BayernAtlas (opens in a new tab)Berlin's central GDI viewer. Of limited interest to detectorists, but a complete spatial data infrastructure with aerial photos, city maps and environmental data.
Open Geoportal Berlin (opens in a new tab)Geobasis Brandenburg with an interactive viewer. Relief hillshade is available – well suited for exploring Brandenburg's heathland and lakes.
Open BB-Viewer (opens in a new tab)The city of Bremen covers only a small area. Elevation models are offered on a product page and can be downloaded. For the surrounding area, the Lower Saxony viewer is recommended.
Open Bremen geoportal (opens in a new tab)Hamburg provides its digital elevation model DTM1 via the Transparency Portal. Limited to the city area, but fully covered and freely downloadable under an open licence.
Open Transparency Portal (opens in a new tab)The Hessian Bodenviewer is considered one of the best LiDAR viewers in Germany. High-resolution DTM with hillshade – wolf pits, sunken lanes and historical features are very easy to see.
Open Bodenviewer (opens in a new tab)The MV geoportal provides access to the state's geodata. Suitable for the flat coastal region and the lake district – dune structures and old settlement remains can be identified.
Open Geodatenviewer MV (opens in a new tab)Since 2021, Lower Saxony has provided its DTM1 completely free of charge under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Data in Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF format, height accuracy ≤ 15 cm. Historical maps are also available.
Open OpenGeoData NI (opens in a new tab)NRW is a model example: TIM-Online offers a high-resolution hillshade map directly in the browser. In addition, the raw LiDAR data with 1 m accuracy can be downloaded free of charge – ideal for QGIS.
Open TIM-Online NRW (opens in a new tab)The State Office for Geology and Mining offers an interactive map viewer with a hillshade layer. Particularly suitable for the Hunsrück, the Eifel and the Westerwald – historically rich in features.
Open MapClient RLP (opens in a new tab)Saarland offers its geodata through an online shop. Access to high-resolution DTM data is subject to a fee. Although it is Germany's smallest territorial state, Saarland still has interesting historical features.
Open LVGL shop Saarland (opens in a new tab)Saxony offers both an easy-to-use DTM layer in the mobile Sachsenatlas and the complete Saxony geoportal. Historically very rich – the Ore Mountains, Vogtland and Lusatia have numerous features.
Open GeoViewer Saxony (opens in a new tab)Saxony-Anhalt has a DTM viewer – the resolution is sufficient for large features such as sunken lanes and ramparts. LVermGeo also provides DTM5 relief hillshading as a WMS service.
Open Saxony-Anhalt viewer (opens in a new tab)Schleswig-Holstein offers the DTM1 as a free download. The download page lets you retrieve the data tile by tile. Particularly interesting for coastal areas, hedgerows (Knicks) and burial mounds in the region.
Open DTM1 download SH (opens in a new tab)Thuringia has improved its DTM to 1 m resolution and provides it in the geoportal. The relief map can be shown directly in the browser. Raw data (LiDAR, 1 m) is also provided free of charge – ideal for QGIS users.
Open Thuringia viewer (opens in a new tab)Since its relaunch, the Geoportal BW is easy to use. Relief with hillshade is simple to show, WMS integration is possible. Very revealing for the Black Forest, the Swabian Jura and Roman features.
Open Geoportal BW (opens in a new tab)Map studied – and now out into the field?
Where are you right now? Choose your path – we show you what you need for the next step.
Before you dig: get permission from the landowner and check the legal situation in your state – Laws & permits.
Software for analysing raw LiDAR data
If you download the raw data, you need suitable software to visualise it. Here is an overview of proven tools:
Practical tips for using geoportals
Vary the direction of the light
By default, all viewers light the terrain from the north-west. In your own GIS, set the light source to different angles – some features only become visible with light from the side.
Combine layers
Overlaying the LiDAR hillshade with historical maps or aerial photos provides valuable additional information. Most viewers let you set the transparency of several layers.
Show the monuments layer
In Bavaria and some other states, archaeological monuments can be shown directly in the geoportal as a separate layer. These areas are protected by law and must be avoided.
Note the coordinates
Right-click interesting spots in the viewer to note their coordinates and transfer them to GPS apps. Many viewers also offer direct export to Google Earth or GPS-compatible formats.
FAQ on LiDAR & geoportals
Legal notes & disclaimer
Legal protection of archaeological monuments: In Germany, archaeological monuments are protected by the monument protection laws of the individual states. Any alteration, damage or removal without official permission is prohibited and may be prosecuted.
Prohibition of illegal searching: Deliberately searching for archaeological monuments with metal detectors without official permission is prohibited. The treasure trove rule (Schatzregal) applies to finds – the objects become state property. Violations can result in fines and prison sentences.
Duty to report chance finds: Anyone who accidentally comes across an archaeological monument or find is legally obliged to report it immediately to the responsible monument authority. The find spot must not be altered until it has been examined by an expert.
Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. We accept no liability for actions that violate applicable laws. For legally binding information, please contact the responsible authorities or a lawyer.
Well equipped for your detecting adventure
From professional metal detectors to pinpointers – we give you personal advice.
Contact
Metalldetektoren.de
Andreas Licht
Professor-Derra Str. 3
96465 Neustadt b. Coburg
Germany
Our service
Information
- Delivery time
- Payment & shipping
- My quick purchase
- Privacy and data protection
- Authenticity of customer reviews
- Terms and conditions
- Battery Act notice
- Cookie settings
Our brands
