nozzlefox

MapSTL

Map to STL: 3D terrain from any place

Pick any place on the map and get a 3D printable terrain model of its mountains, valleys and coast.

  • No account
  • Built in your browser
  • Free, no limits

This tool needs map data from the internet

Everything else on this site works without sending anything anywhere. To show a map and build the terrain, your browser has to download map tiles from OpenFreeMap and elevation tiles from AWS Open Data (Terrain Tiles). If you search for a place, the name is sent to OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Those servers see your IP address and which area you look at, like any map site. No files are involved, and nothing is stored.

  1. Find the place on the map
  2. Set the size and height
  3. Download STL

Good to know

How to make a 3D map of a place

  1. Load the map, then search for a place or pan and zoom until the area fills the orange frame.
  2. Pick a shape (square, 3 : 2, circle or hexagon) and the width of the print.
  3. Click Make the 3D model. Adjust the height exaggeration and base in the preview, then download the STL or 3MF.

Choosing the height exaggeration

At true scale (1×) most landscapes print surprisingly flat: a 120 mm model of a 20 km wide valley shows a 1,000 m mountain only 6 mm high. Raising the exaggeration stretches the heights without changing the outline. Mountains usually look right at 1.5–2×, rolling hills at 3–5×, and flat cities or plains need 5× or more. The relief in mm is shown next to the preview.

Printing tips

  • Print flat on the bed with no supports; the model has a solid base.
  • Small layer heights (0.12–0.16 mm) make gentle slopes smoother. Variable or adaptive layer height in your slicer gives the same quality faster.
  • For a sea in another colour, add a colour change in your slicer just above the base height: with Flat sea on, the water is exactly at the top of the base.
  • Light grey or white filament shows the relief best; side lighting brings it out in photos.

Where the data comes from

Elevation comes from Terrain Tiles, a free global elevation set on AWS Open Data built by Mapzen from SRTM, GMTED2010, ETOPO1, the USGS NED and other sources. Detail is about 30 m per pixel in most of the world and better in places like the US, so small features (single buildings, narrow ridges) don't show. The map is OpenFreeMap with OpenStreetMap data.

Unlike the other tools here, this one downloads map and elevation data, so those servers see which area you look at. Nothing you make is uploaded. See the privacy page for details.

Questions

How do I 3D print a map of a mountain or a city?

Find the place on the map at the top of this page, frame the area, and click Make the 3D model. Set the width and height exaggeration, then download the STL and print it flat on the bed.

Is the terrain data accurate?

It's real elevation data with roughly 30 m detail in most of the world, which is plenty for mountains, valleys and coastlines. Single buildings and very small features are too small to show.

Why does my model look flat?

At true scale, even big mountains are low compared to the width of the area. Raise the height exaggeration: 1.5–2× for mountains, 3–5× for hills, more for flat areas.

Can I include buildings and roads?

Not yet. The model shows the shape of the ground from elevation data. Buildings and roads would need separate map data.

Can I make a round or hexagonal terrain tile?

Yes. Choose Circle or Hexagon as the shape; the edge is cut cleanly and the frame on the map shows what will be included.

Can I share or sell the models?

The elevation data is open data. If you publish or sell a model, credit its sources as listed in the Terrain Tiles attribution (for example SRTM and ETOPO1).