Grave Search - Stare Powązki

Challenge

The Stare Powązki Foundation needed a tool that would genuinely help visitors find specific burial sites within the historic cemetery, while also supporting the curation and enrichment of knowledge about the people laid to rest there.

Solution

We built a grave search tool that combines an interactive map layer with fast search and a biographical profile view. Users can locate a grave using multiple criteria—first and last name, cemetery structure (section/quarter and row), profession, and dates of birth and death. After selecting a result, they receive an exact location on the map and a dedicated page with the person's biography. A key part of the solution is the contributions module: users can propose biography updates or add new details (including photos). Submissions enter a verification workflow so the Foundation can maintain the consistency and reliability of the database. The entire experience was designed to be accessible also for people using the site “on the go,” already at the cemetery and trying to quickly reach a specific location.

Results

• Faster grave discovery through search by personal data and location (section/row), with clear map-based guidance.
• Biographies available directly from search results—one place for knowledge and historical context.
• Community contributions (updates, photos) enabled while preserving quality control through a verification process.
• Strengthened the Foundation's mission by making it easier to discover both well-known figures and family histories.