H-GIS and Digital Strategies for the Documentation and Preservation of the Serenissima's Cultural Heritage: Spatio-Temporal Mapping of Itineraries along the Adriatic Coast

Abstract. The digitisation of Cultural Heritage through digital technologies and emerging technologies presents innovative opportunities for interpreting intangible values within immersive virtual environments. In the European context, the formal recognition of cultural routes has fostered integrated strategies aimed at safeguarding both tangible and intangible heritage assets. 
This study explores the role of digital databases in the analysis of historical itineraries, underscoring the essential need for coherent, structured data frameworks to support long-term conservation and valorisation initiatives. Focusing on the Venetian Serenissima fortifications situated between Italy and Šibenik—strategic nodes within Adriatic trade networks and enduring symbols of Venetian maritime authority—the research employs advanced digital methodologies to map, document, and interpret these complex fortified landscapes. 
By integrating high-resolution 3D surveying, archival investigation, and geospatial analysis, the project develops a comprehensive digital atlas, with the Šibenik case study serving as its core application. Conducted within an open-science paradigm, the initiative aims to enhance public engagement, cultivate cultural awareness, and promote sustainable approaches to heritage tourism. 
Furthermore, the implementation of digital twins and Historical Geographic Information Systems (H-GIS) substantially deepens the preservation and interpretation of cultural routes by embedding spatial data within historically grounded narratives and multi-scalar analytical models.