From the Person-Based Land Registries to the Parcel-Based Hellenic Cadastre: A Review on Securing Property Documentation, Land Administration, and Spatial Data Management in Greece

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Herein is presented a systematic review on property documentation in Greece from 1830 to the present, examining the systems used and their impact on spatial data management and land administration policies. This review reveals that the adoption of the person-based land registry system in 1836, versus the parcel-based Cadastre, led to fragmented property documentation and hindered coherent land administration policies. The establishment of the Hellenic Cadastre in 1995 marked the transition to integrated property documentation within the sole official parcel-based system, facilitating spatial data management and sustainable development. The cadastral survey revealed significant spatial and descriptive fragmentation due to incomplete spatial and legal documentation, unregistered administrative acts, and unregistered public property, which also affects the operational Cadastre. This paper contributes to the literature on the full transition from land registries to a Cadastre, and its impact on spatial data management and overall land administration.