The cadastral mapping system of Bukovina: from emergence to GIS integration

Abstract

In order to support the cartographic activities of the “Stable Cadaster” in Bukovina (Bukowina), the Habsburgs developed a local triangulation network, starting with the measuring of a geodetic baseline north of Rădăuţi (Radautz, Radovec) in 1818. Its western endpoint became the fundamental center of the coordinate system used by the cadastral map sheets of the province until the Second World War, and the monument placed here, in 1820, is nowadays the oldest geodetic monument in Romania. The established triangulation network in Bukovina also sustained the advanced of the modern geodetic activities in nearby areas, especially in Moldova. In contemporary times, precise definition of the Rădăuţi coordinate system, reconstruction of the cadastral index map and use of the geodetic transformation parameters allow the georeferencing and GIS integration of the map sheets without the need of ground control points