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A journey through time – aerial images

Federal Office of Topography swisstopo

Themes	Description
Augmented and Virtual Reality	swisstopo geodata provides a useful basis for 3D visualisations in the fields of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).
Archiving of geodata	Archiving of geodata at the federal level focuses on the storage of geodata for an unlimited period of time. The archived geodata can then be made available in a future geoinformation system. Within the scope of the Ellipse project, swisstopo and the Swiss Federal Archives (SFA) developed a solution for the archiving of geodata. The project was concluded at the end of 2016 and the results are documented in the manual on the archiving of federal geodata.
Apprenticeship at swisstopo	swisstopo offers fascinating apprenticeships for training as a geomatician, commercial employee or computer scientist with a Federal Proficiency Certificate (EFZ).
A journey through time – aerial images	Go on a fascinating journey and travel back in time with the help of aerial images from swisstopo. Discover the history of Switzerland’s landscape as seen from the air.
A journey through time – maps	Embark on a voyage through time with swisstopo’s topographic maps and travel through almost 175 years of Swiss cartographical history.

Themes	Description
Basic data	What is in the ground beneath our feet? When it comes to the sustainable management of our living space, historical maps and digital 3D models are just as important bases as geological, geophysical and geotechnical datasets. The GeoCover vector dataset depicts all of Switzerland on the basis of the 1:25,000 map sheets.
Background information on the National Map	The national maps of Switzerland that are in use today are based on the provisions of the legislation dating from 1935. These maps were implemented at varying scales and subsequently replaced the Dufour and Siegfried maps and their supplements.
Background information on the Dufour Map	The 1:100,000 topographic map of Switzerland (Dufour Map) was the first official series of maps that encompassed the whole of the country. It was published in the period from 1845 to 1865 and thus coincides with the creation of the modern Swiss Confederation.
Background information on the Siegfried Map	The original surveys for the Dufour Map were used for the publication of the 1:25,000 / 1:50,000 Topographic Atlas of Switzerland (Siegfried Map), which was produced between 1870 and 1926 as a co-operation between the federal government and the cantons, based on two Federal Acts dating from 1868.

Themes	Description
Coordinates	How are coordinates calculated? The calculation of coordinates requires a coordinates system and a map projection method. Then control points have to be marked on the ground.
Cantonal and municipal boundaries	In Switzerland, the cantons are responsible for cantonal and municipal boundaries, which are recorded in the cadastral survey.
Cadastral system	The Swiss cadastral system comprises three pillars: the cadastral survey, the Cadastre of Public Law Restrictions on Landownership (PLR Cadastre) and the land register.
Cadastral Surveying	The cadastral survey safeguards landownership and forms the basis for geodata and standardised geographic information systems.
Colloquia - presentations	swisstopo colloquia primarily serve the internal further training of our specialists at all levels. Presentations from past colloquia are archived here.

Themes	Description
Digital geological data	Basic geological data in digital form are primarily used for carrying out modern geological analyses and exploring the underground. They form an essential basis for the development of comprehensive geological datasets and models in the domains of natural hazards, geo-energy and raw materials, as well as for dealing with issues relating to the environment.
Documents see Publications	Reports, specialist publications, instruction manuals, product information and presentations of the Federal Office of Topography swisstopo.
Director	Fridolin Wicki is head of the Federal Office of Topography swisstopo
Directory of towns and cities	The official directory of towns and cities lists all Swiss localities in a database by name, postcode and perimeter.
Directory of building addresses	The official directory of building addresses lists all official addresses in Switzerland in a single uniform register.
Direct supervision	Seven cantons plus Liechtenstein have assigned the operational management of the cadastral survey to the Federal Directorate of Cadastral Surveying.

Themes	Description
European reference systems	The European reference system, ETRS89, permits more accurate connection to local reference systems of the national survey.
Exchange of data between authorities	On 6 April 2016 the Federal Council signed an agreement on the exchange of basic federal geodata between authorities, thus creating the basis for simplified use of these data.
Events	swisstopo regularly attends public and trade fairs, and organises symposiums on various aspects of geoinformation.

Themes	Description
Fundamental point	Zimmerwald geostation is the fundamental point of the national survey and thus forms the point of origin for Switzerland’s coordinates system.
Free basic geodata (OGD)	swisstopo provides its official data and products online, free of charge and for open access use. This step is being taken within the framework of the Open Government Data (OGD) Strategy.
Free geodata	The free geodata can be downloaded directly into the swisstopo onlineshop after acceptance of the terms of use. They are also available on opendata.swiss with further datasets.

Themes	Description
Gravimetry	Gravimetry is a method that is applied for measuring the earth’s gravity field, which has to be taken into account when carrying out geodetic measurements.
Global navigation satellite systems	GNSS is a collective term that refers to the use of global navigation satellite systems. Here are a few examples.
Geographic names	Spatial referencing is one of the most important aspects of everyday life. It often determines our life and actions without being noticed. Verbal communication in association with topographic objects is difficult to imagine without the use of names. It is much easier to locate geographic units and elements with the aid of names than through the use of coordinates.
Geodata infrastructure	Geodata infrastructures are used to optimally network and make available geographic, or spatial, information. The aim is to make this so-called geoinformation accessible to a wide range of users simply, cheaply and in high quality.
geo.admin.ch	The federal geoportal geo.admin.ch provides digital access to maps, aerial photographs and geographic information from the federal administration covering the entire territory of Switzerland. You can thus access geoservices, information and data from the various federal departments easily and free of charge.
Geoinformation and geodata	Geodata is digital information that can be assigned a specific spatial location on the earth's surface.
Geology in everyday life	How are rocks formed? Why is geology so important when it comes to energy production? The history of our planet is full of secrets and fascinating facts. The Swiss Geological Survey offers a range of easily comprehensible publications and free guided tours that help raise our awareness of geology.
Geological topics	Where are Switzerland’s mineral resources located? Where and how can geothermal energy be used sustainably in order to produce energy? The Swiss Geological Survey creates the basic data for the utilisation of geo-resources. It promotes an awareness and appreciation of geology in everyday life and provides answers to a variety of social questions.
Geo-resources	Where does Switzerland have resources of raw materials? Where and how can geothermal energy be used in a sustainable manner in order to produce energy? The term “geo-resources” refers to all geological resources that serve as the basis for life in modern-day society: groundwater, mineral resources, energy production and underground space for construction, storage and disposal of materials.
GeoMol	A geological 3D model of the Swiss Plateau
Geological maps	The Swiss Geological Survey’s geological maps currently form the sole nationwide dataset relating to the structure of the underground in Switzerland. They thus make a valuable contribution towards the exploration and sustainable use of the underground. Both digital datasets and 3D models of the underground can be derived from these maps.
geoBIM strategy of swisstopo	Aim of the geoBIM strategy of swisstopo is to develop national standards for coordinated high-quality data that can be widely used.
Graduate internships at swisstopo	A graduate internship at swisstopo provides trainees with an opportunity to gain practical experience in their field of study, and is an ideal way to launch their career. It is also a good opportunity for them to begin to assume responsibility in their profession and establish valuable contacts.
geocat.ch	geocat.ch is the Swiss Catalogue for geometadata. Geometadata describe geospatial data and enable its search, evaluation and management.
Geodetic points (FPDS)	In its “control point data service”, swisstopo provides control point data online. Here you can access the control point data service data viewer.
Gravity Field Consortium	In cooperation with the Mathematical and Physical Geodesy Group at the Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, swisstopo offers a new geoid model and software for calculating gravimetric data.
Geological services	The Swiss Geological Survey provides access to geological data and 3D models of the underground. It coordinates geological activities in Switzerland and provides advice on geo-energy projects and subsurface construction projects.

Themes	Description
Historical maps	The swisstopo map collection consists of first editions, updates of the official map series “Dufour Map”, “Siegfried Map” and “National Maps” as well as handwritten items. All editions of the maps produced in analogue form are available digitally in swisstopo's “Journey through time”.
History and collections	The Federal Office of Topography swisstopo has a rich and successful history. Since its founding in 1838, it has not only helped to shape Switzerland's development, but has also documented it with maps and photographs. In this section, you will find further information about the history of swisstopo and get insights into its historical collections.
History of swisstopo	The Federal Office of Topography swisstopo was founded in 1838 by Guillaume-Henri Dufour in Carouge (Geneva) and was originally called “Bureau topographique fédéral”. It began publishing the first official set of national maps in 1845. Today, swisstopo is integrated into the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS), and performs tasks for both the military and the private sectors. It is the country’s competence centre for official geodata.
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.

Themes	Description

Themes	Description
Job vacancies	Are you interested in a new career challenge? In swisstopo you will find the ideal conditions for your personal and professional development. Bring us your ideas and contribute actively to the swisstopo of today and tomorrow.

Themes	Description
KML generation	With swisstopo’s KML generation geoservice you can convert a file with Swiss national coordinates or GPS data into a KML file.

Themes	Description
Laser scanning	With terrestrial and aerial laser scanning, millions of points are produced in order to survey a given surface.
Levelling	Levelling is the classical and simplest method of determining heights. Find out more here.
LV95	LV95 is the local reference frame of the Swiss national survey. It is based on the CHTRS95 and CH1903+ reference systems.
LiDAR Data	swisstopo is planning another LiDAR survey of Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein as the campaign launched in 2017 will come to an end in 2024. Airborne laser scanning is one of the most effective methods for measuring territory in 3D. It provides valuable, high-quality data in terms of both detail and accuracy. As the basis for digital terrain models, these data also contribute to other products and are used by many applications.
Legal bases and jurisdiction	Swisstopo is the federal authority responsible for the national border. International treaties and agreements with neighbouring countries form the basis for this task.
Long-term availability of geodata	Thanks to long-term availability, swisstopo is able to retain early geodata and provide current data at a high level of quality, as well as to offer professional advisory services where required.
Long-term conservation	swisstopo is required to guarantee the availability of its official geodata by the Federal Geoinformation Act. Conservation ensures that the geodata remain usable over the long term. Availability is assured through long-term conservation and archiving.
Landscape memory	swisstopo has been documenting Switzerland’s topographic development for around 175 years. Preserving various geodata and making them available in the form of time series has resulted in a landscape memory of Switzerland that traces all the changes and developments over a lengthy period of time.

Themes	Description
Mineral raw materials	Mineral raw materials such as gravel, sand, limestone and clay are widely used in the construction industry and are largely mined in Switzerland. However, Switzerland also imports many raw materials, especially energy raw materials and metals, including the special metals and rare earths that are important for the energy transition.
Map reading	Useful aids that make map reading easy. The leaflets "Map reading" and "Conventional signs" offer interesting facts for national map users and lessons.
Map production	The steps involved in map production are surveying, aerial photography, evaluation, recording of landscape objects in the database and digital cartography.
Map viewer map.geo.admin.ch	Discover swisstopo maps and geodata on your screen. Measure distances and areas, compare current and historical aerial photographs or add a drawing.
Material sales	Here you will find special field and boundary marking materials used by swisstopo. You can order special materials, markers. bolts, etc, by phone or e-mail.

Themes	Description
National border	The external boundary of Switzerland's sovereign territory is designated as its national border, which is specified in cooperation with its neighbouring countries.
Newsletter	Stay up to date and receive regular information on new products, upcoming events and geodata updates as well as other news from the Federal Office of Topography swisstopo.
Notification of an amendment	Have you noticed any changes in the area that still need to be reflected in our products? Or have you discovered an error in a map or a set of geodata? If so, please let us know.
News about geodata	In this section you will find information about updates and news concerning swisstopo's geodata.

Themes	Description
Open Government Data OGD	swisstopo provides its official data and products online, free of charge and for open access use. This step is being taken within the framework of the Open Government Data (OGD) Strategy.
Official street directory	The official street directory lists all streets in Switzerland, including their names, that are used for the registration of addresses.
Official geographic directories	Here you will find the official directories of towns and cities, streets and building addresses in Switzerland. The data are public and available free of charge.

Themes	Description
Photogrammetry	Photogrammetry is a method for obtaining images of a specific terrain by photographing it from above with a digital surveying camera.
PLR Cadastre	In Switzerland, official restrictions on landownership are organised in the information system of the PLR Cadastre.
Publications see Documents	Annual reports, magazines, flyers, brochures and printed newsletters of the Federal Office of Topography swisstopo.
Panoramas	Should you need to print a digital panorama with a realistic perspective on paper or on a metallic support, the DIGIRAMA (DIGItal panoRAMA) range of products is ideal for you. Depending on customers’ needs, various representations involving different levels of automation are possible. The range of specifications for these custom products allows for everything from a simple and cost effective solution for quick panoramic overviews to high quality solutions for panoramic plaques.

Themes	Description

Themes	Description
Reference system as basis for coordinates	Coordinates are specified on the basis of a reference system which defines the measurement units, point of origin and position of the coordinates system.
Reference frame: making the reference system comprehensible	Hundreds of surveying control points are specified as coordinates, which form the reference frame for all surveys carried out in Switzerland.
Resources	Mineral raw materials such as gravel, sand, limestone and clay are widely used in the construction industry and are largely mined in Switzerland. However, Switzerland also imports many raw materials, especially energy raw materials and metals, including the special metals and rare earths that are important for the energy transition.
Revocation of contract	Information on the right of revocation for purchase contracts with swisstopo.
REFRAME	With REFRAME you can convert coordinates to position and/or height. Here you can use the REFRAME service online.

Themes	Description
Swiss reference systems	Switzerland has both a global (CHTRS95) and a local (CH1903+) reference system. These were defined together with the 1995 national survey (LV95).
Sovereign borders	Swiss sovereign borders and boundaries are classified in three different categories: national borders, cantonal boundaries and municipal boundaries. Find out more here.
Swiss Geological Survey	The Swiss Geological Survey at swisstopo is the federal competence centre for the collection, analysis, storage and provision of geological data. It prepares the decision-making bases for shaping our living space and requires an appreciation for our landscape.
swisstopo: facts and figures	Find out about swisstopo, its map production, number of employees and other facts and figures relating to its wide-ranging activities.
Social media	Communication with our customers and partners is very important to us. This is why we have a social media presence, posting news, the latest photos and videos and providing fascinating insights into what we do. Find out more about swisstopo and get in touch. We want to know what you think!
Surveying	swisstopo’s services in fields such as geo-surveying and geodetic measurement are publicly available. Here you will find an overview.
Satellite images	Through the National Point of Contact for Satellite Images (NPOC), customers can purchase high-quality satellite images from around the world. On customer’s demand, the NPOC obtains new images or provides suitable products from existing archives. During the entire processing of the order, specialists are at the disposal of the customer to give advice.

Themes	Description
Trigonometric point determination	In the national survey using trigonometry, survey points are determined from the ground and calculated in accordance with the rules of trigonometry.
The digital border	Today, geographic information systems are used for managing and documenting the national border. Find out more about the digitalisation of the national border.
Topographic Landscape Model	The topographic landscape model is the central instrument for the production of national geodata. It contains objects that shape the landscape, e.g. buildings, roads and bodies of water. These data are recorded, processed, managed and kept up to date by swisstopo, with a high degree of accuracy and in three-dimensional form, and are subsequently placed at the disposal of the various users. The topographic landscape model forms the basis not only for the production of the national maps, but also for a broad range of spatially-related applications.
Time series	The term “time series” refers to a chronologically arranged set of geodata. Time series exist for practically all swisstopo geodata and products that are stored and made available to users.
Training and further education	swisstopo offers around 30 apprenticeships, a traineeship for sports students and 10 to 15 places for university internships. In addition, the Federal Office of Topography regularly promotes master's theses with swisstopo-relevant questions as part of the swisstopoEDU programme.
Transportation network CH	The national geodata infrastructure for efficient and networked mobility. The Swiss Transport Network optimises and expands on public sector transport infrastructure data, provides reliable basic data and makes transport infrastructure and mobility data combinable and generally usable.

Themes	Description

Themes	Description
Virtual Reality	Initially a hype for enthusiasts, Virtual Reality (VR) becomes an experience for everyone. By means of eight selected scenes from Switzerland, the swisstopo VR App shows the potential of the swisstopo 3D geospatial data for Virtual Reality applications.
View swisstopo maps and geodata online	Get more out of swisstopo's geodata. Draw routes, measure distances and compare national maps and aerial photographs. Practical tools help you to view, evaluate or discover the wide range of data. On the road, on your smartphone or at home on your PC.

Themes	Description

Themes	Description

Themes	Description

Themes	Description
Zimmerwald geostation	Zimmerwald geostation contains precise station coordinates, and functions as the fundamental station and most important reference point for the national survey.

Themes	Description
3D geology	3D geological models depict a simplified version of the underground. The 3D geological models developed by swisstopo make a major contribution towards the regulation of conflicts relating to the utilisation of the underground.
3D printout	Various printing processes enable the creation of spatial physical models using 3D printers. With that, we can transform digital geodata into an analogue 3D model.
3D-Viewer	Fly over the Alps, take a leisurely stroll down the Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich or check out the steep passages for your next hike. Thanks to the 3D mode in the Swiss federal map viewer, you can explore a free, online, three-dimensional, digital model of Switzerland. It contains every building and numerous other objects too.
3D flights	With 3D flights, three-dimensional data can be viewed dynamically, by superimposing topographic models with satellite or aerial images, vector data or other geo-referenced data. The visualisation takes place along a flight line. Each 3D flight is produced individually according to customer requirements and can therefore meet a broad variety of criteria. 3D flights are an ideal way of presenting spatial projects in a dynamic, appealing and easy-to-understand way. Their use is suited for depicting infrastructure, ecological and other projects.
3D: customised visualisations and geodata	In addition to the official products, swisstopo offers the creation of individualised 3D visualisations and geodata as a service. Customer-specific results that are suitable for a defined area of interest can be created on request from various source data.

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A journey through time – aerial images

Go on a fascinating journey and travel back in time with the help of aerial images from swisstopo. Discover the history of Switzerland’s landscape as seen from the air.

The swisstopo photographic collection boasts a unique cultural heritage, with some of its landscape shots dating back to the 1920s. With the aim of promoting this treasure trove and enabling the general public to benefit from it, “A journey through time – aerial images” allows users to view images in chronological order. It offers a simple and interactive way to embark on a remarkable journey through the history of Switzerland from a bird’s eye view.

Viewing A journey through time – aerial images

“A journey through time – aerial images” is incorporated into the federal geoportal map.geo.admin.ch using the “SWISSIMAGE Journey through time” layer. There are two ways to view the images:

Full display of Switzerland

The “time” function must be activated in the "SWISSIMAGE Journey through time" layer by clicking on the clock on the right hand side of the map viewer (need help ?). The time slider will appear, allowing you to select a particular flight year. The most up-to-date mosaic of images for this date will then be displayed for the whole of Switzerland (provided the data is available). The mosaic always includes photographs taken over several previously years in order to guarantee a coverage as complete as possible.

Display of images from a particular year

The “Tiling SWISSIMAGE Journey thru time” metadata layer is synchronised with the "SWISSIMAGE Journey through time" layer, making it possible to isolate an individual year of aerial photographs. The time slider enables you to display the particular year you want to view while hiding the other years.

Switzerland viewed from the air since 1946

The "Time travel - aerial images" contains images from 1946 to the present day. By processing thousands of aerial images, it is possible to travel through time for a selected location in Switzerland and thus observe the mutation of the urban environment and changes in the natural environment.

The images are in black and white until the end of the 90s. Colour then brought its reality to the landscape. Shooting technologies have also evolved. Today's shots show much more detail, such as pedestrian crossings on streets or solar panels on roofs.

Over the years, the area covered each year by images has gradually increased. Since 2005, digital data acquisition has also enabled faster image processing.

Off we go on a journey back through time !

Switzerland viewed from the air in 1946

In addition to the time travel, the whole of Switzerland is available with aerial images from 1946 from the "American flyover". This year is the only year in which the entire Swiss territory is shown in images. This visualization is not integrated in the Time Travel.

Discover Switzerland in 1946

From aerial images to orthophotos

In order to make aerial images available in map form, as in "time travel", the images must be processed into orthophotos. An orthophoto is an image that is free of distortions and has a uniform scale over its entire area. It can therefore be overlaid with other geodata and used as a basis for measuring coordinates, distances and are

"Time travel - aerial images" brings together different generations of orthophotos:

Black and White

For all years prior to 1997, the black and white aerial images that were used to update the national map at the time were used. In the end, some 108'000 images were processed. In a first step, the images are scanned and documented by entering metadata. Then, working in blocks, an automatic process is started to orientate the images according to control points on the ground (aerotriangulation). Once the orientation is done, the process continues with the orthorectification of the images which removes any optical and geometric distortion by correcting the image according to the camera calibration parameters and a digital terrain model.
The corrected images are then assembled into a mosaic, SWISSIMAGE HIST, to obtain the most homogeneous product possible.

The digitisation of the holdings started in 2010 and the work on generating orthophotos in 2017.

Lucerne - 1971, 50cm, black and white (left). 2002, 50cm, colour (right).

Colours

Between 1998 and 2008, swisstopo's aerial images were converted to colour and the first SWISSIMAGE orthophoto mosaic was produced. The production process is similar to that of the black and white images, but manual interventions are carried out to optimise the image corrections (bridge deformation, optimal placement of the junction lines between the blocks, stretching of the pixels, etc.). The existing orthophotos were directly integrated into the time travel. To complete them, colour aerial images not yet ortho-rectified were processed in the same way as for the production of SWISSIMAGE HIST for the years 2005-2007.

Lucerne - 2002, 50cm, colour (left). 2006, 25cm, digital colour (right).

Digital colours

From 2005 swisstopo uses a digital camera for its aerial images. The ground resolution of the SWISSIMAGE mosaic is improved from 50 to 25 cm (in the lowlands). The planimetric accuracy also increases thanks to the new digital terrain models. From 2008 onwards, the production of orthophotos is switched from the LV03 coordinate system to the current LV95 system. In 2017, the introduction of the ADS100 digital camera, which is currently in use, further improves the ground resolution and planimetric accuracy.

Lucerne - 2006, 25cm, digital colour (left). 2021, 10cm, digital colours (right)