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Historical images

swisstopo’s image collection is a unique cultural treasure that encompasses approximately half a million aerial and terrestrial images as well as photos documenting the activities of the Federal Office. The images of the landscapes from the 1920s through to the present day are used for a wide range of purposes. Over the next few years, a special plan is to be implemented to ensure that the valuable originals are carefully preserved and easily accessible.

Examples of historical aerial photos and terrestrial images of swisstopo’s image collection, represented in form of a collage.

Our aerial images are vertical or oblique high-resolution landscape photographs. They contain a great deal of information and are used as a valuable source for identifying dynamic processes, as well as for documentation and planning purposes.

The terrestrial images were used as the basis for producing the 1:50,000 National Map and the 1:10,000 fortification maps in the period from 1915 to 1947.

The swisstopo image collection has been listed in the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property as a collection of national importance since 2021.

Preservation and accessibility measures

Many of the valuable originals are endangered due to age-related deterioration and frequent use. In view of this, a plan to preserve and showcase them is to be implemented over the next few years, and at the same time, digitisation will greatly improve the accessibility of the numerous images.

A table displays the number of aerial photos and terrestrial images of swisstopo’s image collection due to different base materials and years of origin.
Key data of the image collection

Aerial photos

Our aerial images are vertical or oblique high-resolution landscape photographs. They are used as a valuable source to identify dynamic processes as well as for documentation and planning purposes.

Technical images

The “technical images” were taken from the 1880s onwards. The inventory includes around 40,000 photographic objects which were used to document the surveying process.

Terrestrial images

After World War I and up to the beginning of the 1950s, much of the region of the Alps was topographically surveyed using terrestrial photogrammetry (surveying from the ground).

Conservation and accessibility measures

swisstopo ensures the preservation and accessibility of the photographic holdings by means of aerial image digitisation and analogue conservation measures.


Federal Office of Topography swisstopo Seftigenstrasse 264
P.O. Box
3084 Wabern
Tel.
+41 58 469 01 11

E-mail


Relevant authority

Infodesk history
E-mail

Federal Office of Topography swisstopo

Seftigenstrasse 264
P.O. Box
3084 Wabern

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