diff --git a/include/mapnik/util/geometry_to_type_str.hpp b/include/mapnik/util/geometry_to_type_str.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5c401b30c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/mapnik/util/geometry_to_type_str.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+/*****************************************************************************
+ * 
+ * This file is part of Mapnik (c++ mapping toolkit)
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2012 Artem Pavlenko
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+ *
+ *****************************************************************************/
+
+//$Id$
+
+#ifndef MAPNIK_GEOMETRY_DESCRIBE
+#define MAPNIK_GEOMETRY_DESCRIBE
+
+// mapnik
+#include <mapnik/global.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/geometry.hpp>
+
+
+namespace mapnik { namespace util {
+
+void to_type_str(mapnik::geometry_type const& g, std::string & geometry_string_type )
+{
+    switch (g.type())
+    {
+    case mapnik::Point:
+        geometry_string_type = "point";
+        break;
+    case mapnik::LineString:
+        geometry_string_type = "linestring";
+        break;
+    case mapnik::Polygon:
+        geometry_string_type = "polygon";
+        break;
+    default:
+        break;
+    }
+}
+
+void to_type_str(mapnik::geometry_container const& paths, std::string & geometry_string_type )
+{
+    if (paths.size() == 1)
+    {
+        // single geometry
+        to_type_str(paths.front(), geometry_string_type);
+    }
+    else if (paths.size() > 1)
+    {
+        int multi_type = 0;
+        geometry_container::const_iterator itr = paths.begin();
+        geometry_container::const_iterator end = paths.end();
+        for ( ; itr!=end; ++itr)
+        {
+            int type = static_cast<int>(itr->type());
+            if (multi_type > 0 && multi_type != itr->type())
+            {
+                geometry_string_type = "collection";
+                break;
+            }
+            to_type_str(*itr, geometry_string_type);
+            multi_type = type;
+        }
+    }
+}
+                                     
+}}
+
+
+#endif // MAPNIK_GEOMETRY_DESCRIBE