Panoráma

Panoráma refers to a wide, unobstructed view of a scene or an image that encompasses a broad field of view, typically 180 degrees or more. In Hungarian usage the term can denote both a physical vista and a visual record, such as a painting, photograph, or digital composite that presents a wide scene in a single frame or through a sequence of images.

The concept derives from Greek roots pan- “all” and horama “a view.” The modern panorama first gained prominence in the late 18th century with panoramic paintings and cycloramas that surrounded viewers with an expansive painted scene. In the 19th century, panoramic painting and photography became popular as both entertainment and documentation. The development of photography and later digital imaging broadened panorama creation beyond large paintings to camera-based methods and image stitching.

Techniques and formats vary. Panoramic painting uses large-scale canvases or cycloramas to envelop the spectator. In photography, panoramas are made with wide-angle lenses or by taking multiple overlapping shots and stitching them into a seamless image. Projections include cylindrical and spherical mappings, with 360-degree panoramas enabling full surroundings. Digital viewers and virtual-reality platforms support interactive navigation of panoramas.

Formats and uses. Panoramas are employed in art, tourism promotion, cityscapes, real estate, and landscape documentation. In mapping and virtual tours, panoramic images and 360-degree views provide immersive experiences. In film and media, panoramic framing can convey scale and context over a broad scene.

Terminology and context. In Hungarian, panoráma may refer to the artistic format or the resulting image, commonly encountered in museums, travel materials, and digital media. The concept is linked to wide-angle photography, 360-degree imagery, and panoramic painting.