Erfgoedpunten

Erfgoedpunten is a term used in Dutch cultural heritage practice to denote geolocated references to places, objects, or phenomena that are considered of cultural-historical significance. They function as points in a heritage information system and are managed by local municipalities, regional heritage institutions, or national bodies. Unlike legal protection statuses such as rijksmonumenten, erfgoedpunten serve as a cataloging and communication tool, not as a direct marker of protection, though they may indicate sites with formal recognition or eligibility.

Purpose and use: to inventory, monitor, and communicate where heritage is located; to support urban planning, conservation, education, and tourism. Data typically associated with each point include a name or label, type (building, landscape, archaeological site, object, event), coordinates, period or date, description, condition, accessibility, and any protection status. They can be updated as new research emerges.

Relation to broader concepts: part of a broader heritage information system and often linked to maps or mobile apps for visitors. They complement formal registers such as lists of protected monuments or protected landscapes, and can help illustrate the distribution and concentration of heritage across a region.

Creation and governance: erfgoedpunten are created by professionals in archives, museums, archaeology, and urban planning, with input from local communities. Standards and categories vary by region but typically follow guidelines for data quality, provenance, and ethics. They are used for planning, preservation decisions, and public engagement.

In practice: a city might mark erfgoedpunten for a historic mill, a street alignment, a historic bridge, or a site of archaeological significance. They provide a practical, navigable way to represent heritage without asserting a legal status at each point.