Isandlwana, South Africa
The sphinx-shaped hill where a Zulu army won in 1879.
Terra Explorer Famous battlefields
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Make this model
The Standard resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High resolution samples the place about ten times more finely.
- Region
- South Africa
- Position
- -28.3500, 30.6500
- Area
- 5 × 5 km
- Real elevation
- 1,038 to 1,363 m (326 m of relief)
- Printed size
- 150 mm (5.9 in) wide, about 1:33,300
- Heights
- 2× exaggeration
- Elevation data
- Open satellite data (SRTM and others), about 30 m per point
- Suggested color
- War map
- Group
- Famous battlefields
About Isandlwana, South Africa
The Battle of Isandlwana or Isandhlwana on 22 January 1879 was the second major encounter in the Anglo-Zulu War between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom – the Battle of Nyezane having been fought and won earlier on the same day by Colonel Pearson's Coastal Column. Eleven days after the British invaded the Zulu Kingdom in Southern Africa, a Zulu force of some 20,000 warriors attacked a portion of the British main column consisting of approximately 1,800 British, colonial and native troops with approximately 350 civilians. The Zulus were equipped mainly with the traditional assegai iron spears and cow-hide shields, but also had a number of muskets and antiquated rifles. The British and colonial troops were armed with the modern Martini–Henry breechloading rifle and two 7-pounder mountain guns deployed as field guns, as well as a Hale rocket battery.
From Wikipedia: Battle of Isandlwana, text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. The article’s history lists its authors.
Questions about Isandlwana, South Africa
Where is Isandlwana?
Isandlwana is in South Africa at -28.3500, 30.6500. The model covers a 5 by 5 kilometer square around that point.
How high is the terrain in the Isandlwana model?
The land in this model runs from 1,038 to 1,363 m (326 m of relief). These are the measured heights, printed 2 times taller so the shape is easy to see.
Can I 3D print Isandlwana?
Yes. Download the free Standard resolution STL and print it on any FDM or resin printer. It is 150 mm wide and about 24.5 mm tall, on a solid 5 mm base, at a scale of about 1:33,300. It also works for CNC carving. Use Customize to change the width, base thickness or height exaggeration, make it round or add a name plate.
How accurate is the Isandlwana model?
It is built from real elevation measurements, not an artist's guess: open satellite and survey data (NASA SRTM, Copernicus and national surveys), about 30 meters per point. The shaded picture on this page is made from the same data.
Is the Isandlwana model free?
The Standard resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High resolution samples the place about ten times more finely and is a paid upgrade.
What is a Isandlwana terrain model good for?
People use it as a wargaming terrain board, a classroom history lesson or a gift for a history buff.
About this terrain model
Embossify Terra builds Isandlwana, South Africa from real measured elevation, not an artist's guess. Outside the United States the heights come from open satellite and survey data (NASA SRTM, Copernicus and national surveys), about 30 meters per point.
The model covers a 5 by 5 kilometer square centered on -28.3500, 30.6500. It prints 150 mm (5.9 in) wide on a solid base, a scale of about 1:33,300. The heights are exaggerated 2× so the shape is easy to see and feel; you can change that when you customize the model. The sea is flattened to zero, so land stands on a clean base.
New to terrain printing? Read how Terra works. The shaded picture on this page is made by Embossify from the same elevation data.
