diff --git a/examples/worlds/heightmap.sdf b/examples/worlds/heightmap.sdf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..69f354b513
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/worlds/heightmap.sdf
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" ?>
+<!--
+
+  Demonstrates a heightmap terrain.
+
+  At the moment, only the visuals work, but not the physics collisions, see
+  https://github.com/ignitionrobotics/ign-physics/issues/156.
+
+-->
+<sdf version="1.6">
+  <world name="heightmap">
+
+    <!-- 3D scene -->
+    <gui>
+      <plugin filename="GzScene3D" name="3D View">
+        <ignition-gui>
+          <title>3D View</title>
+          <property type="bool" key="showTitleBar">false</property>
+          <property type="string" key="state">docked</property>
+        </ignition-gui>
+
+        <engine>ogre</engine>
+        <scene>scene</scene>
+        <ambient_light>0.4 0.4 0.4</ambient_light>
+        <background_color>0.8 0.8 0.8</background_color>
+        <camera_pose>-16.6 7.3 8.6 0.0 0.4 -0.45</camera_pose>
+      </plugin>
+
+    </gui>
+
+    <light type="directional" name="sun">
+      <cast_shadows>true</cast_shadows>
+      <pose>0 0 10 0 0 0</pose>
+      <diffuse>0.8 0.8 0.8 1</diffuse>
+      <specular>0.2 0.2 0.2 1</specular>
+      <attenuation>
+        <range>1000</range>
+        <constant>0.9</constant>
+        <linear>0.01</linear>
+        <quadratic>0.001</quadratic>
+      </attenuation>
+      <direction>-0.5 0.1 -0.9</direction>
+    </light>
+
+    <include>
+      <uri>
+        https://fuel.ignitionrobotics.org/1.0/chapulina/models/Heightmap Bowl
+      </uri>
+    </include>
+  </world>
+</sdf>
diff --git a/src/Conversions.cc b/src/Conversions.cc
index e993f4c006..fb46119485 100644
--- a/src/Conversions.cc
+++ b/src/Conversions.cc
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <ignition/msgs/entity.pb.h>
 #include <ignition/msgs/geometry.pb.h>
 #include <ignition/msgs/gui.pb.h>
+#include <ignition/msgs/heightmapgeom.pb.h>
 #include <ignition/msgs/imu_sensor.pb.h>
 #include <ignition/msgs/lidar_sensor.pb.h>
 #include <ignition/msgs/actor.pb.h>
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@
 #include <sdf/Cylinder.hh>
 #include <sdf/Geometry.hh>
 #include <sdf/Gui.hh>
+#include <sdf/Heightmap.hh>
 #include <sdf/Imu.hh>
 #include <sdf/Lidar.hh>
 #include <sdf/Light.hh>
@@ -188,6 +190,39 @@ msgs::Geometry ignition::gazebo::convert(const sdf::Geometry &_in)
     meshMsg->set_submesh(meshSdf->Submesh());
     meshMsg->set_center_submesh(meshSdf->CenterSubmesh());
   }
+  else if (_in.Type() == sdf::GeometryType::HEIGHTMAP && _in.HeightmapShape())
+  {
+    auto heightmapSdf = _in.HeightmapShape();
+
+    out.set_type(msgs::Geometry::HEIGHTMAP);
+    auto heightmapMsg = out.mutable_heightmap();
+
+    heightmapMsg->set_filename(asFullPath(heightmapSdf->Uri(),
+        heightmapSdf->FilePath()));
+    msgs::Set(heightmapMsg->mutable_size(), heightmapSdf->Size());
+    msgs::Set(heightmapMsg->mutable_origin(), heightmapSdf->Position());
+    heightmapMsg->set_use_terrain_paging(heightmapSdf->UseTerrainPaging());
+    heightmapMsg->set_sampling(heightmapSdf->Sampling());
+
+    for (auto i = 0u; i < heightmapSdf->TextureCount(); ++i)
+    {
+      auto textureSdf = heightmapSdf->TextureByIndex(i);
+      auto textureMsg = heightmapMsg->add_texture();
+      textureMsg->set_size(textureSdf->Size());
+      textureMsg->set_diffuse(asFullPath(textureSdf->Diffuse(),
+          heightmapSdf->FilePath()));
+      textureMsg->set_normal(asFullPath(textureSdf->Normal(),
+          heightmapSdf->FilePath()));
+    }
+
+    for (auto i = 0u; i < heightmapSdf->BlendCount(); ++i)
+    {
+      auto blendSdf = heightmapSdf->BlendByIndex(i);
+      auto blendMsg = heightmapMsg->add_blend();
+      blendMsg->set_min_height(blendSdf->MinHeight());
+      blendMsg->set_fade_dist(blendSdf->FadeDistance());
+    }
+  }
   else
   {
     ignerr << "Geometry type [" << static_cast<int>(_in.Type())
@@ -252,6 +287,38 @@ sdf::Geometry ignition::gazebo::convert(const msgs::Geometry &_in)
 
     out.SetMeshShape(meshShape);
   }
+  else if (_in.type() == msgs::Geometry::HEIGHTMAP && _in.has_heightmap())
+  {
+    out.SetType(sdf::GeometryType::HEIGHTMAP);
+    sdf::Heightmap heightmapShape;
+
+    heightmapShape.SetUri(_in.heightmap().filename());
+    heightmapShape.SetSize(msgs::Convert(_in.heightmap().size()));
+    heightmapShape.SetPosition(msgs::Convert(_in.heightmap().origin()));
+    heightmapShape.SetUseTerrainPaging(_in.heightmap().use_terrain_paging());
+    heightmapShape.SetSampling(_in.heightmap().sampling());
+
+    for (int i = 0; i < _in.heightmap().texture_size(); ++i)
+    {
+      auto textureMsg = _in.heightmap().texture(i);
+      sdf::HeightmapTexture textureSdf;
+      textureSdf.SetSize(textureMsg.size());
+      textureSdf.SetDiffuse(textureMsg.diffuse());
+      textureSdf.SetNormal(textureMsg.normal());
+      heightmapShape.AddTexture(textureSdf);
+    }
+
+    for (int i = 0; i < _in.heightmap().blend_size(); ++i)
+    {
+      auto blendMsg = _in.heightmap().blend(i);
+      sdf::HeightmapBlend blendSdf;
+      blendSdf.SetMinHeight(blendMsg.min_height());
+      blendSdf.SetFadeDistance(blendMsg.fade_dist());
+      heightmapShape.AddBlend(blendSdf);
+    }
+
+    out.SetHeightmapShape(heightmapShape);
+  }
   else
   {
     ignerr << "Geometry type [" << static_cast<int>(_in.type())
diff --git a/src/Conversions_TEST.cc b/src/Conversions_TEST.cc
index 4521697e45..f49bd649d3 100644
--- a/src/Conversions_TEST.cc
+++ b/src/Conversions_TEST.cc
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <sdf/Box.hh>
 #include <sdf/Cylinder.hh>
 #include <sdf/Gui.hh>
+#include <sdf/Heightmap.hh>
 #include <sdf/Light.hh>
 #include <sdf/Magnetometer.hh>
 #include <sdf/Mesh.hh>
@@ -412,6 +413,72 @@ TEST(Conversions, GeometryPlane)
   EXPECT_EQ(math::Vector3d::UnitY, newGeometry.PlaneShape()->Normal());
 }
 
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////
+TEST(Conversions, GeometryHeightmap)
+{
+  sdf::Geometry geometry;
+  geometry.SetType(sdf::GeometryType::HEIGHTMAP);
+
+  sdf::Heightmap heightmap;
+  heightmap.SetUri("file://heights.png");
+  heightmap.SetSize(ignition::math::Vector3d(1, 2, 3));
+  heightmap.SetPosition(ignition::math::Vector3d(4, 5, 6));
+  heightmap.SetUseTerrainPaging(true);
+  heightmap.SetSampling(16u);
+
+  sdf::HeightmapTexture texture;
+  texture.SetDiffuse("file://diffuse.png");
+  texture.SetNormal("file://normal.png");
+  texture.SetSize(1.23);
+  heightmap.AddTexture(texture);
+
+  sdf::HeightmapBlend blend;
+  blend.SetMinHeight(123.456);
+  blend.SetFadeDistance(456.789);
+  heightmap.AddBlend(blend);
+
+  geometry.SetHeightmapShape(heightmap);
+
+  auto geometryMsg = convert<msgs::Geometry>(geometry);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(msgs::Geometry::HEIGHTMAP, geometryMsg.type());
+  EXPECT_TRUE(geometryMsg.has_heightmap());
+  EXPECT_EQ(math::Vector3d(1, 2, 3),
+      msgs::Convert(geometryMsg.heightmap().size()));
+  EXPECT_EQ("file://heights.png", geometryMsg.heightmap().filename());
+  EXPECT_TRUE(geometryMsg.heightmap().use_terrain_paging());
+  EXPECT_EQ(16u, geometryMsg.heightmap().sampling());
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(1, geometryMsg.heightmap().texture().size());
+  EXPECT_DOUBLE_EQ(1.23, geometryMsg.heightmap().texture(0).size());
+  EXPECT_EQ("file://diffuse.png", geometryMsg.heightmap().texture(0).diffuse());
+  EXPECT_EQ("file://normal.png", geometryMsg.heightmap().texture(0).normal());
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(1, geometryMsg.heightmap().blend().size());
+  EXPECT_DOUBLE_EQ(123.456, geometryMsg.heightmap().blend(0).min_height());
+  EXPECT_DOUBLE_EQ(456.789, geometryMsg.heightmap().blend(0).fade_dist());
+
+  auto newGeometry = convert<sdf::Geometry>(geometryMsg);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(sdf::GeometryType::HEIGHTMAP, newGeometry.Type());
+
+  auto newHeightmap = newGeometry.HeightmapShape();
+  ASSERT_NE(nullptr, newHeightmap);
+  EXPECT_EQ(math::Vector3d(1, 2, 3), newHeightmap->Size());
+  EXPECT_EQ("file://heights.png", newHeightmap->Uri());
+  EXPECT_TRUE(newHeightmap->UseTerrainPaging());
+  EXPECT_EQ(16u, newHeightmap->Sampling());
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(1u, newHeightmap->TextureCount());
+  EXPECT_DOUBLE_EQ(1.23, newHeightmap->TextureByIndex(0)->Size());
+  EXPECT_EQ("file://diffuse.png", newHeightmap->TextureByIndex(0)->Diffuse());
+  EXPECT_EQ("file://normal.png", newHeightmap->TextureByIndex(0)->Normal());
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(1u, newHeightmap->BlendCount());
+  EXPECT_DOUBLE_EQ(123.456, newHeightmap->BlendByIndex(0)->MinHeight());
+  EXPECT_DOUBLE_EQ(456.789, newHeightmap->BlendByIndex(0)->FadeDistance());
+}
+
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////
 TEST(Conversions, Inertial)
 {
diff --git a/src/rendering/SceneManager.cc b/src/rendering/SceneManager.cc
index e8f0c1a0f8..b69a718389 100644
--- a/src/rendering/SceneManager.cc
+++ b/src/rendering/SceneManager.cc
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 #include <sdf/Box.hh>
 #include <sdf/Cylinder.hh>
+#include <sdf/Heightmap.hh>
 #include <sdf/Mesh.hh>
 #include <sdf/Pbr.hh>
 #include <sdf/Plane.hh>
@@ -27,12 +28,16 @@
 
 #include <ignition/common/Animation.hh>
 #include <ignition/common/Console.hh>
+#include <ignition/common/HeightmapData.hh>
+#include <ignition/common/ImageHeightmap.hh>
 #include <ignition/common/KeyFrame.hh>
 #include <ignition/common/Skeleton.hh>
 #include <ignition/common/SkeletonAnimation.hh>
 #include <ignition/common/MeshManager.hh>
 
 #include <ignition/rendering/Geometry.hh>
+#include <ignition/rendering/Heightmap.hh>
+#include <ignition/rendering/HeightmapDescriptor.hh>
 #include <ignition/rendering/Light.hh>
 #include <ignition/rendering/Material.hh>
 #include <ignition/rendering/Scene.hh>
@@ -283,7 +288,11 @@ rendering::VisualPtr SceneManager::CreateVisual(Entity _id,
 
     // set material
     rendering::MaterialPtr material{nullptr};
-    if (_visual.Material())
+    if (_visual.Geom()->Type() == sdf::GeometryType::HEIGHTMAP)
+    {
+      // Heightmap's material is loaded together with it.
+    }
+    else if (_visual.Material())
     {
       material = this->LoadMaterial(*_visual.Material());
     }
@@ -418,6 +427,57 @@ rendering::GeometryPtr SceneManager::LoadGeometry(const sdf::Geometry &_geom,
     geom = this->dataPtr->scene->CreateMesh(descriptor);
     scale = _geom.MeshShape()->Scale();
   }
+  else if (_geom.Type() == sdf::GeometryType::HEIGHTMAP)
+  {
+    auto fullPath = asFullPath(_geom.HeightmapShape()->Uri(),
+        _geom.HeightmapShape()->FilePath());
+    if (fullPath.empty())
+    {
+      ignerr << "Heightmap geometry missing URI" << std::endl;
+      return geom;
+    }
+
+    auto data = std::make_shared<common::ImageHeightmap>();
+    if (data->Load(fullPath) < 0)
+    {
+      ignerr << "Failed to load heightmap image data from [" << fullPath << "]"
+             << std::endl;
+      return geom;
+    }
+
+    rendering::HeightmapDescriptor descriptor;
+    descriptor.SetData(data);
+    descriptor.SetSize(_geom.HeightmapShape()->Size());
+    descriptor.SetSampling(_geom.HeightmapShape()->Sampling());
+
+    for (uint64_t i = 0; i < _geom.HeightmapShape()->TextureCount(); ++i)
+    {
+      auto textureSdf = _geom.HeightmapShape()->TextureByIndex(i);
+      rendering::HeightmapTexture textureDesc;
+      textureDesc.SetSize(textureSdf->Size());
+      textureDesc.SetDiffuse(asFullPath(textureSdf->Diffuse(),
+          _geom.HeightmapShape()->FilePath()));
+      textureDesc.SetNormal(asFullPath(textureSdf->Normal(),
+          _geom.HeightmapShape()->FilePath()));
+      descriptor.AddTexture(textureDesc);
+    }
+
+    for (uint64_t i = 0; i < _geom.HeightmapShape()->BlendCount(); ++i)
+    {
+      auto blendSdf = _geom.HeightmapShape()->BlendByIndex(i);
+      rendering::HeightmapBlend blendDesc;
+      blendDesc.SetMinHeight(blendSdf->MinHeight());
+      blendDesc.SetFadeDistance(blendSdf->FadeDistance());
+      descriptor.AddBlend(blendDesc);
+    }
+
+    geom = this->dataPtr->scene->CreateHeightmap(descriptor);
+    if (nullptr == geom)
+    {
+      ignerr << "Failed to create heightmap [" << fullPath << "]" << std::endl;
+    }
+    scale = _geom.HeightmapShape()->Size();
+  }
   else
   {
     ignerr << "Unsupported geometry type" << std::endl;