Where faith meets geomorphology: The cultural and religious significance of geodiversity explored through geospatial technologies

Abstract This study explores the cultural value of geodiversity through the religious significance of the landscape in Gornje Podunavlje, northwest Serbia. Focusing on the veneration of Saint John of Nepomuk – the patron saint against water hazards – we investigate how his statues reflect historical community responses to flood risks in the Bačka region. Using nineteenth-century maps, geographic information systems (GIS), and geospatial analyses were applied to map statue locations, digitize historical Danube courses, and examine the spatial relationship between statues, settlements, and geomorphological features. Hypsometric and floodplain mapping, along with Euclidean distance and flood risk assessments (Danube Flood Risk Management Plan – DFRMP project data), revealed that all statues in Gornje Podunavlje are located on higher ground at the edges of settlements and oriented toward the Danube. In contrast, statues in other Bačka settlements lack this geomorphological alignment. These patterns suggest a culturally embedded adaptation to flood hazards. Present-day settlement outlines were digitized using satellite imagery to confirm current statue placements. The findings demonstrate how physical geography has influenced religious expression and settlement planning. This research emphasizes the importance of interpreting geodiversity not just as a physical attribute but as a cultural and historical factor shaping human–environment interactions in flood-prone flatland regions like Bačka (northwestern part of Serbia).