diff --git a/deegree-core/deegree-core-base/src/test/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/GeometryValidatorTest.java b/deegree-core/deegree-core-base/src/test/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/GeometryValidatorTest.java
index 6b3c8c2c80..47e962f259 100644
--- a/deegree-core/deegree-core-base/src/test/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/GeometryValidatorTest.java
+++ b/deegree-core/deegree-core-base/src/test/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/GeometryValidatorTest.java
@@ -49,7 +49,9 @@
 import junit.framework.Assert;
 
 import org.deegree.commons.xml.XMLParsingException;
+import org.deegree.cs.coordinatesystems.ICRS;
 import org.deegree.cs.exceptions.UnknownCRSException;
+import org.deegree.cs.persistence.CRSManager;
 import org.deegree.geometry.Geometry;
 import org.deegree.geometry.validation.event.CurveDiscontinuity;
 import org.deegree.geometry.validation.event.CurveSelfIntersection;
@@ -160,6 +162,38 @@ public void validatePolygon()
         Assert.assertTrue( ( (InteriorRingOrientation) eventHandler.getEvents().get( 2 ) ).isClockwise() );
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void validatePolygonExteriorAndInterior()
+                            throws XMLStreamException, FactoryConfigurationError, IOException, XMLParsingException,
+                            UnknownCRSException {
+        DummyValidationEventHandler eventHandler = new DummyValidationEventHandler();
+        GeometryValidator validator = new GeometryValidator( eventHandler );
+        Geometry geom = parseGeometry( "Polygon.gml" );
+        Assert.assertTrue( validator.validateGeometry( geom ) );
+        Assert.assertEquals( 3, eventHandler.getEvents().size() );
+
+        // get rings
+        ExteriorRingOrientation exterior = (ExteriorRingOrientation) eventHandler.getEvents().get( 0 );
+        InteriorRingOrientation interior1 = (InteriorRingOrientation) eventHandler.getEvents().get( 1 );
+        InteriorRingOrientation interior2 = (InteriorRingOrientation) eventHandler.getEvents().get( 2 );
+
+        // check for exterior and interior rings with a right handed CRS
+        Assert.assertTrue( exterior.isExterior() );
+        Assert.assertTrue( interior1.isInterior() );
+        Assert.assertTrue( interior2.isInterior() );
+
+        // substitute original right handed CRS for a new left handed one, maintaining polygon orientation
+        ICRS leftHandedCrs = CRSManager.getCRSRef( "urn:ogc:def:crs:epsg::4326" );
+        exterior.getPatch().getExteriorRing().setCoordinateSystem( leftHandedCrs );
+        interior1.getPatch().getInteriorRings().get( 0 ).setCoordinateSystem( leftHandedCrs );
+        interior2.getPatch().getInteriorRings().get( 1 ).setCoordinateSystem( leftHandedCrs );
+
+        // check for exterior and interior rings with a left handed CRS
+        Assert.assertFalse( exterior.isExterior() );
+        Assert.assertFalse( interior1.isInterior() );
+        Assert.assertFalse( interior2.isInterior() );
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void validatePolygonExteriorClockwise()
                             throws XMLStreamException, FactoryConfigurationError, IOException, XMLParsingException,
diff --git a/deegree-core/deegree-core-geometry/src/main/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/event/AbstractGeometryValidationEvent.java b/deegree-core/deegree-core-geometry/src/main/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/event/AbstractGeometryValidationEvent.java
index b514254164..dd1e8830bb 100644
--- a/deegree-core/deegree-core-geometry/src/main/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/event/AbstractGeometryValidationEvent.java
+++ b/deegree-core/deegree-core-geometry/src/main/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/event/AbstractGeometryValidationEvent.java
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@
 
 import java.util.List;
 
+import org.deegree.cs.coordinatesystems.ICRS;
+import org.deegree.cs.components.Axis;
+
 /**
  * Abstract base class for {@link GeometryValidationEvent} implementations.
  * 
@@ -65,4 +68,38 @@ public List<Object> getGeometryParticleHierarchy() {
         return geometryParticleHierachy;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns true if the geometry has a left handed CRS.
+     * 
+     * @return <code>true</code> if geometry has a left handed CRS, <code>false</code> if CRS is right handed
+     */
+    protected boolean isLeftHanded( ICRS crs ) {
+        // get number of dimensions (it should be 2)
+        if ( crs.getDimension() == 2 ) {
+            int axis1 = crs.getAxis()[0].getOrientation();
+            int axis2 = crs.getAxis()[1].getOrientation();
+
+            // check if CRS is left handed
+            if ( axis1 == Axis.AO_EAST || axis1 == Axis.AO_WEST ) {
+                if ( axis1 == Axis.AO_EAST && ( axis2 == Axis.AO_SOUTH || axis2 == Axis.AO_DOWN ) ) {
+                    return true;
+                }
+                else if ( axis1 == Axis.AO_WEST && ( axis2 == Axis.AO_NORTH || axis2 == Axis.AO_UP ) ) {
+                    return true;
+                }
+            }
+            else {
+                if ( ( axis1 == Axis.AO_SOUTH || axis1 == Axis.AO_DOWN ) && axis2 == Axis.AO_WEST ) {
+                    return true;
+                }
+                else if ( ( axis1 == Axis.AO_NORTH || axis1 == Axis.AO_UP ) && axis2 == Axis.AO_EAST ) {
+                    return true;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // return false in any other case
+        return false;
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/deegree-core/deegree-core-geometry/src/main/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/event/ExteriorRingOrientation.java b/deegree-core/deegree-core-geometry/src/main/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/event/ExteriorRingOrientation.java
index 0af1c350a1..675021a862 100644
--- a/deegree-core/deegree-core-geometry/src/main/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/event/ExteriorRingOrientation.java
+++ b/deegree-core/deegree-core-geometry/src/main/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/event/ExteriorRingOrientation.java
@@ -88,4 +88,19 @@ public boolean isClockwise() {
         return isClockwise;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns true if the geometry is an exterior boundary.
+     * 
+     * @return <code>true</code> if geometry is an exterior boundary, <code>false</code> if it's interior
+     */
+    public boolean isExterior() {
+        boolean isExterior = !isClockwise;
+
+        if ( isLeftHanded( patch.getExteriorRing().getCoordinateSystem() ) ) {
+            isExterior = !isExterior;
+        }
+
+        return isExterior;
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/deegree-core/deegree-core-geometry/src/main/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/event/InteriorRingOrientation.java b/deegree-core/deegree-core-geometry/src/main/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/event/InteriorRingOrientation.java
index a3a051caa1..b32528e5d8 100644
--- a/deegree-core/deegree-core-geometry/src/main/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/event/InteriorRingOrientation.java
+++ b/deegree-core/deegree-core-geometry/src/main/java/org/deegree/geometry/validation/event/InteriorRingOrientation.java
@@ -103,4 +103,19 @@ public boolean isClockwise() {
         return isClockwise;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns true if the geometry is an interior boundary.
+     * 
+     * @return <code>true</code> if geometry is an interior boundary, <code>false</code> if it's exterior
+     */
+    public boolean isInterior() {
+        boolean isInterior = isClockwise;
+
+        if ( isLeftHanded( patch.getInteriorRings().get( ringIdx ).getCoordinateSystem() ) ) {
+            isInterior = !isInterior;
+        }
+
+        return isInterior;
+    }
+
 }