diff --git a/src/c3nav.cfg b/src/c3nav.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b0d1b350
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/c3nav.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[c3nav]
+map=/home/codingcatgirl/c3nav/c3nav-33c3,/home/codingcatgirl/c3nav/c3nav-33c3-backstage
diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/__init__.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3c5c0e6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+from .classes import MapDataManager
+
+default_app_config = 'c3nav.mapdata.apps.MapdataConfig'
+
+objects = MapDataManager()
diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/apps.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/apps.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f64b1069
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/apps.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+from django.apps import AppConfig
+
+
+class MapdataConfig(AppConfig):
+    name = 'c3nav.mapdata'
+    verbose_name = 'map data manager'
+
+    def ready(self):
+        pass
diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/classes.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/classes.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..df266839
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/classes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+class MapDataManager:
+    def __init__(self):
+        pass
+
+
+class MapDataSource:
+    def __init__(self):
+        pass
diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/views.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/views.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..91ea44a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/views.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+from django.shortcuts import render
+
+# Create your views here.
diff --git a/src/c3nav/settings.py b/src/c3nav/settings.py
index 091b26f3..82d5f65c 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/settings.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/settings.py
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ BASE_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 DATA_DIR = config.get('c3nav', 'datadir', fallback=os.environ.get('DATA_DIR', 'data'))
 LOG_DIR = os.path.join(DATA_DIR, 'logs')
 
+MAP_DIRS = config.get('c3nav', 'mapdir', fallback=None)
+
 if not os.path.exists(DATA_DIR):
     os.mkdir(DATA_DIR)
 if not os.path.exists(LOG_DIR):
@@ -103,6 +105,7 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = [
     'compressor',
     'bootstrap3',
     'c3nav.control',
+    'c3nav.mapdata',
 ]
 
 MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES = [