GIS-Based Tools for the Management and Dissemination of Heritage Information in Historical Towns. The Case of Santiago De Compostela (Spain)

Abstract

Historical towns are among the most complex cases of heritage data management. As it may be the case in any other type of heritage site, knowing the spatial distribution of heritage elements is reason enough to support the development of GIS-based tools for information management. But, besides that, two factors add up to further encourage the adoption of GIS-based technologies in those contexts. Firstly, historical towns are especially complex heritage sites, where a wide variety of interrelated material elements coexist (buildings, open spaces, buried features,…), quite often in close relationship with a significant body of documents describing them. Secondly, they are places subject to an intense daily activity and pressure that force to take frequent informed decisions on what to do with heritage elements, decisions that must be based on an accurate and updated knowledge of the evidence available. In this paper we will present the case of the SIP-Sistema de Información Patrimonial (Heritage Information System) developed for the historical town of Santiago de Compostela (Spain), a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. Designed and developed between 2006 and 2008 for the Consorcio de Santiago, the SIP is a web-based GIS tool that integrates spatial and documentary information ( http://sip.consorciodesantiago.org/ ). It was aimed at two parallel objectives. First, to assist the management needs of the Consorcio. Second, and considering the role of the town as an important cultural tourism destination, to disseminate the information produced by the numerous heritage projects developed in the town among both the general public and the specialists.