Blöckgrenze

The Blöckgrenze is a term used in German-speaking urban planning and cadastral practice to denote the boundary of a city block. It marks the outer contour that defines the area comprising a single block, including the arrangement of streets, sidewalks and the built envelope within it. The concept is primarily a planning and mapping reference rather than a directly enforceable property line.

Etymology and scope: Blöckgrenze combines Blöck, an old form of “block,” with Grenze, meaning boundary. In planning documents, it serves as a spatial reference for block-based organization of a street grid, block numbering, and land-use zoning. The exact line of a Blöckgrenze can vary by region and planning tradition; in some contexts it follows the outermost building lines, while in others it aligns with official parcel or cadastral boundaries.

Role in planning and cadastre: The Blöckgrenze is used to define the extent of a block for planning purposes, including pedestrian mobility, public space allocation, and the assessment of block-level infrastructure needs. It often informs how parcels within the block are subdivided and how building regulations apply at the block level. Importantly, property rights are typically governed by individual parcel boundaries, with the Blöckgrenze functioning as a higher-level organizational construct rather than a direct land title boundary in most jurisdictions.

Regional variation and terminology: Practices differ between German-speaking regions and even between municipalities. Some areas distinguish Blöckgrenze from the block perimeter (Blockrand) for technical versus legal considerations. Therefore, the exact definition and application can depend on local planning statutes and cadastral conventions.

See also: Block boundary, Blockrand, Parcellation, Cadastral map, Stadtplanung.