Miguel Pazos Otón

Spatial Data Infrastructures in Santiago de Compostela

Spatial Data Infrastructures constitute an organisational and technological bet on the part of Public Administrations to make available the geographic information they collect or generate to institutions and citizens. In Spain, various initiatives have been developed at state, regional, local and cross-border levels, which have been integrated into the Spatial Data Infrastructure of Spain. In the case of Santiago de Compostela, a World Heritage historic city, two experiences have taken place: the Heritage Information System (SIP, by its Spanish acronym) and recently the Geoportal of Santiago de Compostela City Council. This work aims to present the experience of both initiatives as tools for heritage management and public knowledge. An evaluation of the design and functionality of the SIP over the 7 years since its implementation has also been carried out. For this purpose, four indicators have been established: use of international and European standards, compatibility, proactivity, and synergies between documentation centers. The study found that despite the functionality that the SIP had in its creation, the lack of foresight to maintain its systematization and updating led to it being outdated. However, the Geoportal of Santiago de Compostela City Council was created as a new tool for disseminating and managing heritage and council services among institutions, professionals and citizens.