Nowadays, the zero land consumption European directives and the ever-increasing multi-story building construction due to urbanisation activities are highlighting the limitations of the bidimensional cadastre. From this context, the 3D cadastre could make a key contribution to managing the future built environment and cities. In this framework, the thesis aims to understand the potentialities of the 3D cadastre and proposes a methodology to ease its generation through rapid mapping techniques. Italy and Spain have been analysed as case studies, and it emerged that they have yet to develop their own and complete 3D cadastres. A deep investigation and study of one of the most advanced in Europe, the Netherlands, has been therefore carried out.