A transfer learning-based approach for automatic monument detection
TL;DR
This paper presents an automated monument recognition system built on the backbone of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to detect monuments in Patan Durbar Square with a near-perfect F1 score of 98.94%.
Abstract
Architectural heritage connects us to the cultural achievements of past civilizations. Patan Durbar Square in Nepal is home to many such structures, yet identifying them remains a challenge for tourists. This paper presents an automated monument recognition system built on the backbone of convolutional neural networks (CNNs). A dataset of 1832 images of 9 important monuments from Patan was created, and build a detection system with MobileNetV2, a light-weight CNN, to detect monuments in Patan Durbar Square with a near-perfect F1 score of 98.94%. The approach utilizes transfer learning to adapt the model to local architectural styles. A detailed ablation study is performed to determine the optimal network design and augmentation strategies. Class-wise performance is further analyzed to verify robustness against visual occlusion and similarity. Finally, the model is deployed as a mobile application using Flutter and the FastAPI framework. This work demonstrates the viability of lightweight CNNs for real-time cultural heritage preservation.