Map to STL: turn any place into a 3D printable map

Map2Model is a free map to STL generator for real places. Pick a city, neighborhood, mountain, island or coastline, draw the area you want, generate the 3D map in your browser, then export a printable STL or multicolor 3MF.

Start with the editor

The generator runs directly on the home page. No account, no CAD software and no GIS workflow are required. The app fetches map and elevation data for your selection, then assembles and exports the model in your browser.

Open the generator

What the STL includes

A map STL can be more than a plain heightmap. Map2Model combines OpenStreetMap features with real elevation data, so a city selection can include buildings, roads, water, greenery and terrain. A mountain or valley selection becomes a topographic terrain model with a solid base for printing.

The merged STL is useful when you want the broadest slicer compatibility. If your printer or slicer supports multi-part color workflows, export the 3MF instead: it keeps terrain, buildings, roads, water, greenery and the frame as separate colored parts.

What to check before printing

Map data is real-world data, not a hand-modeled miniature. Building footprints can be missing in OpenStreetMap, building heights are sometimes estimated, and very large selections lose small street details once they are scaled down to a printer bed. For city prints, start with a compact area and inspect the 3D preview before export.

STL is also the simpler export format. It is excellent when you want one solid body, but it does not preserve per-part colors. If the goal is a Bambu AMS, Prusa MMU or other multi-material print, the 3MF export is usually the better starting file.

Create the file

1. Choose a location
Search for a city, address, mountain or landmark, or simply pan the map until the place you want to print is visible.
2. Draw the print area
Draw a rectangle, circle or polygon around the exact region you want. Smaller selections preserve more building and street detail when the model is scaled to your print bed.
3. Generate the 3D map
Click Generate. Map2Model builds the model locally in your browser from map features and elevation data, then shows a live 3D preview you can inspect before downloading.
4. Export STL or multicolor 3MF
Download a merged STL for a simple single-material print, or use the multicolor 3MF when you want separate printable parts for buildings, water, roads, greenery and terrain.

City to STL, terrain to STL, or a terrain-only tool

City to STL

Best for downtowns, neighborhoods, campus models and gifts where recognizable buildings and street patterns matter.

Terrain to STL

Best for mountains, valleys, islands, coastlines and topographic relief maps where elevation is the main feature.

If you only need a plain relief map and do not care about buildings, a dedicated terrain tool may be enough. Map2Model is most useful when the selected place should feel like a recognizable city, landscape or neighborhood model rather than a heightmap alone.

Export questions

Can I turn a map into an STL file?

Yes. Map2Model lets you select a real map area, generate terrain and buildings, then export a merged STL that is ready to open in your slicer.

Does the STL include buildings?

Yes. City selections use OpenStreetMap building footprints and available height data, so the exported STL can include buildings, roads, water, greenery and terrain.

Should I export STL or 3MF?

Use STL when you want one universal single-body file. Use the multicolor 3MF when you want separate terrain, building, water, road and greenery parts for color printing.

Is the generator free?

Yes. Map2Model is free to use, runs in your browser, does not require signup and does not add a watermark to exported STL or 3MF files.

Comparing tools? See map to STL alternatives or read the full city map printing guide.