Method for automatically operating a monitoring installation for an environment, - wherein sensor images of the environment are recorded by at least one optical sensor (36, 66), wherein a recording position is assigned to each recorded sensor image, - wherein a visual map of the environment is provided, said map comprising the recorded sensor images with assigned recording positions, - wherein, with the recording position of a sensor image, a position and/or alignment of the optical sensor (36, 66) in the environment is taken into account when recording the sensor image, - wherein a three-dimensional model (2, 26, 42, 44) of the environment is created on the basis of the visual map, - wherein at least one camera image (18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34) is recorded by at least one camera (48, 62, 64, 72, 86) arranged in the environment, - wherein the at least one camera image (18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34) is compared to sensor images of the visual map, - wherein the camera image (18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34) is superposed onto the three-dimensional model (2, 26, 42, 44) taking into account this comparison, - wherein a recording position of the at least one camera (48, 62, 64, 72, 86) when recording the at least one camera image (18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34) is determined by the comparison of the at least one camera image (18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34) with the sensor images, - wherein the at least one optical sensor (36, 66) is video-based, wherein sensor images of the environment are recorded with the at least one video-based, optical sensor (36, 66) on the basis of video recordings, wherein, in the case that there is a change in the environment to be observed, the three-dimensional model (2, 26, 42, 44) is adapted, wherein the region of the environment that is affected by the change is captured again by the at least one optical sensor and updated sensor images with assigned recording positions are added to the visual map. - wherein sensor images of the environment are recorded by at least one optical sensor (36, 66), wherein a recording position is assigned to each recorded sensor image, - wherein a visual map of the environment is provided, said map comprising the recorded sensor images with assigned recording positions, - wherein, with the recording position of a sensor image, a position and/or alignment of the optical sensor (36, 66) in the environment is taken into account when recording the sensor image, - wherein a three-dimensional model (2, 26, 42, 44) of the environment is created on the basis of the visual map, - wherein at least one camera image (18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34) is recorded by at least one camera (48, 62, 64, 72, 86) arranged in the environment, - wherein the at least one camera image (18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34) is compared to sensor images of the visual map, - wherein the camera image (18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34) is superposed onto the three-dimensional model (2, 26, 42, 44) taking into account this comparison, - wherein a recording position of the at least one camera (48, 62, 64, 72, 86) when recording the at least one camera image (18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34) is determined by the comparison of the at least one camera image (18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34) with the sensor images, - wherein the at least one optical sensor (36, 66) is video-based, wherein sensor images of the environment are recorded with the at least one video-based, optical sensor (36, 66) on the basis of video recordings, wherein, in the case that there is a change in the environment to be observed, the three-dimensional model (2, 26, 42, 44) is adapted, wherein the region of the environment that is affected by the change is captured again by the at least one optical sensor and updated sensor images with assigned recording positions are added to the visual map.