Active Historical Map

Basic information

Project Title

Full project title

Active Historical Map - spatium.bg

Project Description

Spatiotemporal database based on GIS technology which manages information related to space and time simultaneously. Simply put, these are digital maps, where historical events can be traced in their temporal dynamics and territorial reflection.

Project Region

Sofia, Bulgaria

EU Programme or fund

Description of the project

Summary

1. Spatium.bg creates digital maps that show what was in the past with the ability to drag back and forth the timeline. Thus, the user have time control of the map and ability to see different information at any selected period.

2. Each map on the website is devoted to a certain topic and is supplemented by text related to the exact date on the map. Each map is enriched with pictures, main documents and contracts, statistics, scaned books, etc.

Key objectives for sustainability

1. The goal of digital maps is to help better understanding of historical events that have led to today's Bulgarian and on a wider aspect European development and wider audience to understand the main processes of the past years, which formed contemporary Bulgaria and Europe - main participants, milestone years, etc.

2. Historical maps are necessary, because modern person rarely knows how the world in which he/she lives and prospers is built and simply takes it for granted. He/she is not aware of the efforts of his/her ancestors and the long period of time required for that.

3. Sustainability means ability to be maintained at a certain level. That's why, EU has responsibility to spread information about the past in order to maintain better present and better future and to let go of past mistakes.

The past teaches us about the future! EU has not only to aim sustainable future, but better future.

4. Achieving the goal of our maps and sustainability criteria will be facilitated by the fact that the main source of information of the modern human is the Internet through mobile phone. A picture with short description - that's the way we percieve the information in the fastest possible way. That's why, presenting information through map gains popularity recent years - a simple map or GIS based. A map can contain huge amount of information and at the same time to be simple for perception.

5. Last, but not least, digital maps means less paper maps and atlases. Less paper – more saved forests.

Key objectives for aesthetics and quality

A map is not just a source of information. The information it contains is perceived in the same way as a picture. That's why the overall layout of the map, its colors, shades, forms and its functions contribute to the impression it leaves on its user.

Each of our existing maps is design with the participation of a painter. She adds an artistic touch to what we do.

The map has to inform, but also has to impress! We do our best to achieve that.

Key objectives for inclusion

Internet and cell phones have brought benefits in learning, sharing and diversifying the flow of information into human live. Naturally more and more people are included in the contemporary information stream. And many people believe they are better informed thanks to the Internet and digital tech.

So, our project which aims to provide information through digital maps falls into the trend where greater part of the mankind has immediate access to information. Our project is part of digital transformation - the user also. Digital transformation affects not only the way the information is presented, but also the number of people reached and included.

What's more. 65% of the population are spatial (visual) learners - map serves them well!

Results in relation to category

1. Interdisciplinary learning is important for a comprehensive understanding of historical events. Therefore, the maps we create combine historical facts, representing the geographical dimensions of events, as well as their temporal dynamics.

The maps created up to now comprise historical (territorial changes in the past, activity of Bulgarian revolutionists) and geographical topics (demographic and electoral geography, infrastructure).

2. One place – many topics for different class works and users. The maps we have made so far cover different topics and are helpful to different groups of users. They are widely used both in the educational process in schools and universities and by ordinary consumers in Bulgaria.

Proof of the quality of the made maps is the participation of the Institute for Historical Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Bulgarian National Library, Bulgarian National Film Library, Central electoral commission and representatives of the academic community in Bulgaria.

3. In the near future we shall present a topic that concerns European history and which benefits the European user. Because the formation of the European Union and the events that preceded it are extremely important for the realization of what has been achieved.

How Citizens benefit

1. The user benefits by using the most up-to-date technologies to learn and to be informed. They have free access to the maps we create and also to scaned books at our website. Digital map itself is a benefit, because as opposed to the paper maps can: contain a lot more information than paper map can; show different points of view; is constantly updated.

2. We constantly receive advices how to improve the maps or what different maps to create. We try to satisfy the majority of the reasonable proposals.

3. At present we are working on a module which will allow the user to log in and to upload information related to a particualr topic. The information he/she uploads will be related to a certain period, certain place or both - pictures, documents, books, articles, text info, layers, etc. Thus, the society and the user him/herself will have the ability to improve and to enrich the existing maps.