gis is and knowledge documenting and managing catania s historic urban heritage

The present study shows the results of a research aimed at the knowledge of the significant features of Catania's urban environment. The complexity of the different features of the city, the several scales of representation, the multi-dimensional objects and the historical, anthropic, formal relations have produced different kinds of information requiring a flexible instrument that is able to transcribe images, charts, texts and symbols in a single model of representation. In the perspective of creating a fundamental cognitive framework, the research team paid attention at drawing up a GIS (Geographic Information System) for documenting and managing historic urban heritage. The idea is to have a structure able to collect data like a logic archival system or an open database, which can immediately be consulted and constantly implemented. Indeed, the aim of this GIS is to organize, manage, query and visualise the peculiar aspects which characterize Catania's architectures. Thanks to multi-directional "access-windows" it is possible to navigate through its contents (texts, drawings, 3D rendering, pictures, historical documents). The system will also allow the integration of several documents in a common geo-database up to visualise the most meaningful details. Its use could assure suitable proposals of urban transformations and coherent plans in using and/or managing heritage goods for a sustainable city development