How to Read Cadastral Data in Europe
Aktualisiert: 2026-06-21
What Is Cadastral Data?
The cadastre is the official register of all land parcels in a country. It contains geometric information (location, shape, area) and legal information (ownership, land use, encumbrances). In almost all EU countries at least the geometries are now available as open data – ownership data, by contrast, is generally not public.
Key Terms
Parcel (Flurstück / Parcelle / Perceel)
The smallest legal unit of land. In Germany it is called Flurstück, in Austria Grundstück/GNR, in France parcelle, in the Netherlands perceel. Each parcel has a unique identifier – in Germany the Flurstueckskennzeichen (state-district-county-municipality-district-plot number).
Land District (Gemarkung)
The Gemarkung is a historic administrative unit below municipality level – comparable to an old village or urban district. Parcels are numbered within each Gemarkung.
ALKIS (Germany)
ALKIS (Official Real Estate Cadastre Information System) is the digital combination of the cadastral map (geometry) and cadastral register (attributes) in Germany, introduced nationwide in 2016. Groundcheck accesses ALKIS data for all federal states that provide open data (Bavaria excepted).
Land Register (Grundbuch)
The Grundbuch contains ownership rights and encumbrances (mortgages, easements). It is not publicly accessible in Germany but can be viewed by owners and notaries. Groundcheck does not display land register data.
How Groundcheck Uses Cadastral Data
When you click on the map or search an address, Groundcheck queries the geo-service – a central geodata layer containing ALKIS parcel data for Germany and cadastral data from other EU countries. You see:
- Parcel number and land district
- Parcel area
- Parcel polygon highlighted on the map
- Links to the national cadastral portal for further information
What Cadastral Data Does Not Tell You
- No price: Cadastral data contains no purchase prices. Prices come from separate sources (BORIS, DVF, transaction registers).
- No owner: Ownership data is generally not publicly accessible in the EU.
- No planning rights: The parcel shows where land is – not what can be built on it. For that, the local development plan (Bebauungsplan/PLU) applies.
Country Coverage on Groundcheck
| Country | Cadastral data |
|---|---|
| Germany | ALKIS (all states except Bavaria) |
| France | BDPARCELLAIRE / Géoportail |
| Netherlands | BRK (Basisregistratie Kadaster) |
| Belgium | GRB (AGIV) |
| Austria | BEV Digital Cadastral Map |
| Croatia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Estonia | Parcel metadata |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find the parcel for my property?
Yes. Simply click on your location on the map – Groundcheck will show the parcel automatically where ALKIS or equivalent data is available.
What is the difference between the cadastre and the land register?
The cadastre shows where and how large a parcel is. The land register shows who owns it and what rights are attached.
Why are parcel data missing in some areas?
Not all federal states provide ALKIS data as open data. Bavaria, for example, requires a paid licence. In those areas we only show address metadata.