diff --git a/MapControl/MapControl.csproj b/MapControl/MapControl.csproj
index 4c666b88..dce34dd9 100644
--- a/MapControl/MapControl.csproj
+++ b/MapControl/MapControl.csproj
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@
     <Compile Include="TileLayer.cs" />
     <Compile Include="TileLayerCollection.cs" />
     <Compile Include="TileSource.cs" />
-    <Compile Include="ViewportPosition.cs" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <Page Include="Themes\Generic.xaml">
diff --git a/MapControl/MapElement.cs b/MapControl/MapElement.cs
index 9511bc1e..8134ff90 100644
--- a/MapControl/MapElement.cs
+++ b/MapControl/MapElement.cs
@@ -19,12 +19,6 @@ namespace MapControl
                 new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(null, FrameworkPropertyMetadataOptions.Inherits, ParentMapPropertyChanged));
         }
 
-        protected MapElement()
-        {
-            HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Stretch;
-            VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Stretch;
-        }
-
         public Map ParentMap
         {
             get { return MapPanel.GetParentMap(this); }
diff --git a/MapControl/MapItemsControl.cs b/MapControl/MapItemsControl.cs
index 24ad37aa..e0127d97 100644
--- a/MapControl/MapItemsControl.cs
+++ b/MapControl/MapItemsControl.cs
@@ -128,12 +128,12 @@ namespace MapControl
             }
             else if ((selectedContainer = GetContainer(SelectedItem)) != null)
             {
-                ViewportPosition p1 = MapPanel.GetViewportPosition(selectedContainer);
-                ViewportPosition p2 = MapPanel.GetViewportPosition(container);
+                Point? p1 = MapPanel.GetViewportPosition(selectedContainer);
+                Point? p2 = MapPanel.GetViewportPosition(container);
 
-                if (p1 != null && p2 != null)
+                if (p1.HasValue && p2.HasValue)
                 {
-                    Rect rect = new Rect(p1.Position, p2.Position);
+                    Rect rect = new Rect(p1.Value, p2.Value);
 
                     BeginUpdateSelectedItems();
                     SelectedItems.Clear();
@@ -237,21 +237,21 @@ namespace MapControl
         private bool IsItemInGeometry(object item, Geometry geometry)
         {
             UIElement container = GetContainer(item);
-            ViewportPosition viewportPosition;
+            Point? viewportPosition;
 
             return container != null
-                && (viewportPosition = MapPanel.GetViewportPosition(container)) != null
-                && geometry.FillContains(viewportPosition.Position);
+                && (viewportPosition = MapPanel.GetViewportPosition(container)).HasValue
+                && geometry.FillContains(viewportPosition.Value);
         }
 
         private bool IsItemInRect(object item, Rect rect)
         {
             UIElement container = GetContainer(item);
-            ViewportPosition viewportPosition;
+            Point? viewportPosition;
 
             return container != null
-                && (viewportPosition = MapPanel.GetViewportPosition(container)) != null
-                && rect.Contains(viewportPosition.Position);
+                && (viewportPosition = MapPanel.GetViewportPosition(container)).HasValue
+                && rect.Contains(viewportPosition.Value);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/MapControl/MapPanel.cs b/MapControl/MapPanel.cs
index ad3881fc..03a3c564 100644
--- a/MapControl/MapPanel.cs
+++ b/MapControl/MapPanel.cs
@@ -4,15 +4,13 @@
 
 using System.Windows;
 using System.Windows.Controls;
-using System.Windows.Media;
 
 namespace MapControl
 {
     /// <summary>
     /// Positions child elements on a Map. A child element's position is specified by the
     /// attached property Location, given as geographic location with latitude and longitude.
-    /// The attached property ViewportPosition gets a child element's position in viewport
-    /// coordinates and indicates if the coordinates are located inside the bounds of the ParentMap.
+    /// The attached property ViewportPosition gets a child element's position in viewport coordinates.
     /// </summary>
     public class MapPanel : Panel
     {
@@ -23,7 +21,7 @@ namespace MapControl
         public static readonly DependencyProperty ParentMapProperty = ParentMapPropertyKey.DependencyProperty;
 
         private static readonly DependencyPropertyKey ViewportPositionPropertyKey = DependencyProperty.RegisterAttachedReadOnly(
-            "ViewportPosition", typeof(ViewportPosition), typeof(MapPanel),
+            "ViewportPosition", typeof(Point?), typeof(MapPanel),
             new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(ViewportPositionPropertyChanged));
 
         public static readonly DependencyProperty ViewportPositionProperty = ViewportPositionPropertyKey.DependencyProperty;
@@ -47,9 +45,9 @@ namespace MapControl
             return (Map)element.GetValue(ParentMapProperty);
         }
 
-        public static ViewportPosition GetViewportPosition(UIElement element)
+        public static Point? GetViewportPosition(UIElement element)
         {
-            return (ViewportPosition)element.GetValue(ViewportPositionProperty);
+            return (Point?)element.GetValue(ViewportPositionProperty);
         }
 
         public static Location GetLocation(UIElement element)
@@ -78,22 +76,21 @@ namespace MapControl
         {
             foreach (UIElement element in InternalChildren)
             {
-                ViewportPosition viewportPosition = GetViewportPosition(element);
+                Point? viewportPosition = GetViewportPosition(element);
 
-                if (viewportPosition == null || !ArrangeElement(element, viewportPosition))
+                if (viewportPosition.HasValue)
                 {
-                    ArrangeElement(element, finalSize);
+                    ArrangeElement(element, viewportPosition.Value);
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    element.Arrange(new Rect(finalSize));
                 }
             }
 
             return finalSize;
         }
 
-        protected virtual Point GetArrangePosition(ViewportPosition viewportPosition)
-        {
-            return viewportPosition.Position;
-        }
-
         protected virtual void OnViewportChanged()
         {
             Map parentMap = ParentMap;
@@ -136,11 +133,11 @@ namespace MapControl
 
             if (element != null)
             {
-                ViewportPosition position = (ViewportPosition)e.NewValue;
+                Point? viewportPosition = (Point?)e.NewValue;
 
-                if (position != null)
+                if (viewportPosition.HasValue)
                 {
-                    ArrangeElement(element, position);
+                    ArrangeElement(element, viewportPosition.Value);
                 }
                 else
                 {
@@ -161,36 +158,23 @@ namespace MapControl
 
         private static void SetViewportPosition(UIElement element, Map parentMap, Location location)
         {
-            ViewportPosition viewportPosition = null;
+            Point? viewportPosition = null;
 
             if (parentMap != null && location != null)
             {
-                Point position = parentMap.LocationToViewportPoint(location);
-
-                viewportPosition = new ViewportPosition(position,
-                    position.X >= 0d && position.X <= parentMap.ActualWidth &&
-                    position.Y >= 0d && position.Y <= parentMap.ActualHeight);
+                viewportPosition = parentMap.LocationToViewportPoint(location);
             }
 
             element.SetValue(ViewportPositionPropertyKey, viewportPosition);
         }
 
-        private static bool ArrangeElement(UIElement element, ViewportPosition viewportPosition)
+        private static void ArrangeElement(UIElement element, Point position)
         {
-            MapPanel panel = VisualTreeHelper.GetParent(element) as MapPanel;
-            Point position = panel != null ? panel.GetArrangePosition(viewportPosition) : viewportPosition.Position;
             Rect rect = new Rect(position, element.DesiredSize);
-            FrameworkElement frameworkElement = element as FrameworkElement;
 
-            if (frameworkElement != null)
+            if (element is FrameworkElement)
             {
-                if (frameworkElement.HorizontalAlignment == HorizontalAlignment.Stretch ||
-                    frameworkElement.VerticalAlignment == VerticalAlignment.Stretch)
-                {
-                    return false; // do not arrange at position
-                }
-
-                switch (frameworkElement.HorizontalAlignment)
+                switch (((FrameworkElement)element).HorizontalAlignment)
                 {
                     case HorizontalAlignment.Center:
                         rect.X -= rect.Width / 2d;
@@ -198,11 +182,14 @@ namespace MapControl
                     case HorizontalAlignment.Right:
                         rect.X -= rect.Width;
                         break;
+                    case HorizontalAlignment.Stretch:
+                        rect.X = 0d;
+                        break;
                     default:
                         break;
                 }
 
-                switch (frameworkElement.VerticalAlignment)
+                switch (((FrameworkElement)element).VerticalAlignment)
                 {
                     case VerticalAlignment.Center:
                         rect.Y -= rect.Height / 2d;
@@ -210,47 +197,8 @@ namespace MapControl
                     case VerticalAlignment.Bottom:
                         rect.Y -= rect.Height;
                         break;
-                    default:
-                        break;
-                }
-            }
-
-            element.Arrange(rect);
-            return true;
-        }
-
-        private static void ArrangeElement(UIElement element, Size panelSize)
-        {
-            Rect rect = new Rect(element.DesiredSize);
-            FrameworkElement frameworkElement = element as FrameworkElement;
-
-            if (frameworkElement != null)
-            {
-                switch (frameworkElement.HorizontalAlignment)
-                {
-                    case HorizontalAlignment.Center:
-                        rect.X = (panelSize.Width - rect.Width) / 2d;
-                        break;
-                    case HorizontalAlignment.Right:
-                        rect.X = panelSize.Width - rect.Width;
-                        break;
-                    case HorizontalAlignment.Stretch:
-                        rect.Width = panelSize.Width;
-                        break;
-                    default:
-                        break;
-                }
-
-                switch (frameworkElement.VerticalAlignment)
-                {
-                    case VerticalAlignment.Center:
-                        rect.Y = (panelSize.Height - rect.Height) / 2d;
-                        break;
-                    case VerticalAlignment.Bottom:
-                        rect.Y = panelSize.Height - rect.Height;
-                        break;
                     case VerticalAlignment.Stretch:
-                        rect.Height = panelSize.Height;
+                        rect.Y = 0d;
                         break;
                     default:
                         break;
diff --git a/MapControl/Themes/Generic.xaml b/MapControl/Themes/Generic.xaml
index 1409c6d7..9eb6b1fe 100644
--- a/MapControl/Themes/Generic.xaml
+++ b/MapControl/Themes/Generic.xaml
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
         </Setter>
     </Style>
     <Style x:Key="{x:Type map:MapItem}" TargetType="{x:Type map:MapItem}">
+        <Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Left"/>
+        <Setter Property="VerticalAlignment" Value="Top"/>
         <Setter Property="Template">
             <Setter.Value>
                 <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type map:MapItem}">
diff --git a/MapControl/ViewportPosition.cs b/MapControl/ViewportPosition.cs
deleted file mode 100644
index ebe1940a..00000000
--- a/MapControl/ViewportPosition.cs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-// WPF MapControl - http://wpfmapcontrol.codeplex.com/
-// Copyright © 2012 Clemens Fischer
-// Licensed under the Microsoft Public License (Ms-PL)
-
-using System.Windows;
-
-namespace MapControl
-{
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Viewport position of a MapPanel child element.
-    /// </summary>
-    public class ViewportPosition
-    {
-        public ViewportPosition(Point position, bool isInside)
-        {
-            Position = position;
-            IsInside = isInside;
-        }
-
-        public Point Position { get; private set; }
-        public bool IsInside { get; private set; }
-    }
-}
diff --git a/SampleApps/SampleApplication/MainWindow.xaml b/SampleApps/SampleApplication/MainWindow.xaml
index 73b2dafd..fe2c441a 100644
--- a/SampleApps/SampleApplication/MainWindow.xaml
+++ b/SampleApps/SampleApplication/MainWindow.xaml
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
         <local:SampleItemCollection x:Key="Polylines"/>
         <local:SampleItemCollection x:Key="Points"/>
         <local:SampleItemCollection x:Key="Pushpins"/>
-        <BooleanToVisibilityConverter x:Key="BooleanToVisibilityConverter"/>
+        <local:ViewportPositionToVisibilityConverter x:Key="ViewportPositionToVisibilityConverter"/>
         <DataTemplate x:Key="PolylineItemTemplate">
             <map:MapPolyline Locations="{Binding Locations}" Stroke="Red" StrokeThickness="3"/>
         </DataTemplate>
@@ -100,7 +100,14 @@
         </Style>
         <Style x:Key="PushpinItemStyle" TargetType="map:MapItem">
             <Setter Property="map:MapPanel.Location" Value="{Binding Location}"/>
-            <Setter Property="Visibility" Value="{Binding (map:MapPanel.ViewportPosition).IsInside, Converter={StaticResource BooleanToVisibilityConverter}, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Self}}"/>
+            <Setter Property="Visibility">
+                <Setter.Value>
+                    <MultiBinding Converter="{StaticResource ViewportPositionToVisibilityConverter}">
+                        <Binding Path="(map:MapPanel.ParentMap)" RelativeSource="{RelativeSource Self}"/>
+                        <Binding Path="(map:MapPanel.ViewportPosition)" RelativeSource="{RelativeSource Self}"/>
+                    </MultiBinding>
+                </Setter.Value>
+            </Setter>
             <Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Left"/>
             <Setter Property="VerticalAlignment" Value="Bottom"/>
             <Setter Property="Template">
@@ -137,8 +144,14 @@
             <map:MapItemsControl ItemsSource="{StaticResource Pushpins}"
                                  ItemContainerStyle="{StaticResource PushpinItemStyle}"
                                  IsSynchronizedWithCurrentItem="True"/>
-            <map:Pushpin Location="53.5,8.2" Background="Yellow" Foreground="Blue" Content="N 53° 30' E 8° 12'"
-                         Visibility="{Binding (map:MapPanel.ViewportPosition).IsInside, Converter={StaticResource BooleanToVisibilityConverter}, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Self}}"/>
+            <map:Pushpin Location="53.5,8.2" Background="Yellow" Foreground="Blue" Content="N 53° 30' E 8° 12'">
+                <map:Pushpin.Visibility>
+                    <MultiBinding Converter="{StaticResource ViewportPositionToVisibilityConverter}">
+                        <Binding Path="(map:MapPanel.ParentMap)" RelativeSource="{RelativeSource Self}"/>
+                        <Binding Path="(map:MapPanel.ViewportPosition)" RelativeSource="{RelativeSource Self}"/>
+                    </MultiBinding>
+                </map:Pushpin.Visibility>
+            </map:Pushpin>
             <TextBlock HorizontalAlignment="Left" VerticalAlignment="Bottom" Margin="2,0,0,0" FontSize="10"
                        Text="{Binding BaseTileLayer.Description, ElementName=map}"/>
         </map:Map>
diff --git a/SampleApps/SampleApplication/SampleApplication.csproj b/SampleApps/SampleApplication/SampleApplication.csproj
index 3e0f21f0..a9b4826e 100644
--- a/SampleApps/SampleApplication/SampleApplication.csproj
+++ b/SampleApps/SampleApplication/SampleApplication.csproj
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
       <DependentUpon>Settings.settings</DependentUpon>
     </Compile>
     <Compile Include="SampleItems.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="ViewportPositionToVisibilityConverter.cs" />
     <Page Include="MainWindow.xaml">
       <Generator>MSBuild:Compile</Generator>
       <SubType>Designer</SubType>
diff --git a/SampleApps/SampleApplication/ViewportPositionToVisibilityConverter.cs b/SampleApps/SampleApplication/ViewportPositionToVisibilityConverter.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1af8458d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/SampleApps/SampleApplication/ViewportPositionToVisibilityConverter.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+using System;
+using System.Globalization;
+using System.Windows;
+using System.Windows.Data;
+using MapControl;
+
+namespace SampleApplication
+{
+    public class ViewportPositionToVisibilityConverter : IMultiValueConverter
+    {
+        public object Convert(object[] values, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
+        {
+            Visibility visibility = Visibility.Visible;
+
+            if (values.Length == 2 && values[0] is Map && values[1] is Point? && ((Point?)values[1]).HasValue)
+            {
+                Map parentMap = (Map)values[0];
+                Point position = ((Point?)values[1]).Value;
+
+                if (position.X < 0d || position.X > parentMap.ActualWidth ||
+                    position.Y < 0d || position.Y > parentMap.ActualHeight)
+                {
+                    visibility = Visibility.Hidden;
+                }
+            }
+
+            return visibility;
+        }
+
+        public object[] ConvertBack(object value, Type[] targetTypes, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
+        {
+            throw new NotSupportedException();
+        }
+    }
+}