catasto.info

What It Is

Catasto.info is a web app for viewing Italian cadastral maps for free. It integrates the cadastral mapping service from Italy’s tax authority, Agenzia delle Entrate, and can overlay Esri satellite imagery. After clicking a land parcel, users can view basic cadastral identifiers such as Comune, Foglio, and Numero. It also supports searching by place or address.

Core Features and Integrations

The product is highly focused: map browsing, cadastral map/satellite imagery overlays, opacity adjustment, parcel click identification, place search, and browser-based geolocation. Its third-party dependencies are clearly identified, including Agenzia delle Entrate INSPIRE WMS, Esri World Imagery, Photon/Komoot with OpenStreetMap data, and front-end libraries such as Leaflet, Proj4js, and Proj4Leaflet. It is more of a lightweight tool for professional use cases than a full enterprise GIS/SaaS platform.

Pricing and Compliance Restrictions

The page clearly labels the service as gratis, meaning it is free to use, and states that it is for personal use. It does not disclose any subscription plans, enterprise edition, or payment methods. One important caveat is that the cadastral data is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 IT, which requires attribution, permits non-commercial use only, and prohibits distribution of derivative works. Its results are also for informational reference only and cannot replace official cadastral documents issued by Agenzia delle Entrate.

Data Security and Deployment

The privacy statement is relatively transparent: the app has no backend of its own and does not collect or send personal data to its own servers. The geolocation feature only calls the browser API after explicit user authorization, and the location remains local for displaying a marker. The site does not set cookies, while some preferences are stored in localStorage. However, map access itself means tile services such as Esri and AdE can receive the current view bbox, which is standard technical behavior for web maps.

Pros, Cons, and Best-Fit Users

Its strengths are that it is free, requires no complicated workflow, and provides clear explanations of data sources and licensing. It is suitable for individuals, early-stage real estate research, planning, or surveying professionals who need to quickly check parcel locations. Its limitations are the lack of team collaboration, permissions, API, SLA, or customer support information, as well as no guarantees around accuracy, availability, or updates.

Access from China and Alternatives

The source text does not provide information on access from mainland China. Since the service depends on overseas services such as Esri and OpenStreetMap/Photon, actual performance may vary depending on network conditions. Alternatives include official Italian cadastral services, QGIS with official WMS data, Esri ArcGIS Online, or other open mapping tools.