Editing Swisstopo (section)

== History ==
{{see also|Cartography of Switzerland}}

=== Early work and Dufourkarten ===
In 1809, the first topographical surveys of [[Switzerland]] took place on a [[confederation|confederate]], military level. They took place in the north-eastern area and were led by [[Hans Conrad Finsler]]. Measurements in the alpine region started in 1825 with triangulations by [[Antoine-Joseph Buchwalder]]. This work would be finished in 1837 by [[Johannes Eschmann]]. At New Year 1838, the Topographical Bureau (''Eidgenössisches Topographisches Bureau'') was founded in [[Carouge]], [[Geneve (canton)|Geneve]] by [[Guillaume Henri Dufour]]. This bureau published its first map the same year, the ''Carte topographique du Canton de Genève''. Topographic surveys also started in the alpine regions of Switzerland. These had their first results in 1845, a year later than planned, when a map scaled 1:100.000 was published. This was the start of what are termed ''Dufourkarten'' (''Dufour's Maps''). The topographic survey finished in 1862. To honour [[Guillaume Henri Dufour|Dufour]], the Swiss government decided to rename the highest peak on the ''Dufourkarten'' from ''Höchste Spitze'' to [[Dufourspitze]]: it still carries that name today. In 1863, the [[Schweizerische Alpenclub|SAC]] published a 1:50.000 map of the region [[Tödi]], based on unpublished survey material. A year later, the last map of the ''Dufourkarten'' was published, and the following year, Dufour retired and [[Hermann Siegfried]] became Chief of the Topographical Bureau.

=== Siegfriedkarten ===
In 1865, [[Herman Siegfried]] becomes the Chief of the Topographical Bureau, and the bureau moves from [[Geneva]] to [[Bern]]. Over the next few years, a composite map is published of [[Ticino]], soundings start to measure the depth of the major Swiss lakes, and a first map is published scaled 1:250.000. In 1868, a Federal Act is passed to enforce the continuation of the initial topographic surveys, as well as the publication of the results. This results in new topographical surveys in 1869 and the publication of the first 13 ''Siegfriedkarten'' (1:25.000 and 1:50.000) in 1870. In 1878, a 1:1.000.000 map is published, and the next year, the height of the [[Pierre du Niton]] is measured to be 376.86 metre. In 1880, Herman Siegfried is succeeded by [[Jules Dumur]].

In 1895, the Topographical surveys for the ''Siegfriedkarten'' are finished. As of 1901, 581 sheets of the ''Siegfriedkarten'' have been published, with only a few individual more maps to come (there would be 604 maps in 1926). On old maps of the modern series, a reference to those maps can still be found: until the 1970s, the ''Siegfriedkarte'' was the best scale available for some areas of Switzerland, and therefore used by climbers and other [[Alpinism|alpinists]]. The printing of the ''Siegfriedkarten'' would continue until 1952.

=== New century ===
In 1887, the first maps with relief shading are published. In 1889, a photographic studio is appended to the bureau. In the years after 1894, a wall-map for schools is published, in response to a request from the parliament to do so. In 1898, the soundings of the major Swiss lakes are finished. In 1901, the bureau is moved into an independent division within the military, and the name ''Eidgenössische Landestopographie'' becomes customary, a name still used by some people until today, and a name which can be found on some older maps. [[Hermann Kümmerly]] publishes a relief wall-map for schools in the same year. In 1908, map trials are started to serve as a replacement for the ''Dufourkarten''. Two years later, trials start to replace the ''Siegfriedkarten''. Much of this military work would remain secret for many years. In 1913, 1922 and 1924, trials are done with [[aerial photogrammetry]], first with balloons and later with aircraft, but only as of 1930 this is used for production of maps, and in 1940 terrestrial photogrammetry is abandoned.

=== Modern maps ===
[[File:1285 Les Diablerets.jpg|thumb|One of the 1:25'000 sheets of the national map (1285 Les Diablerets), showing various terrain types]]
[[File:Swisstopo Eiger - Grindelwald.jpg|thumb|Screen capture of the geographical portal, showing a 3D rendering of the 1:25'000 map]]
On 21 June 1935, a Federal Act was passed on the production of the new National Map series, ranging in scale from 1:25.000 to 1:1.000.000. Because of the political situation in Europe, work was started on the 1:50.000 maps.{{clarify|date=June 2016}} For this purpose, a 'M18d' [[Messerschmitt]] was bought for aerial photography, the first aircraft owned by the ''Eidgenössischie Landestopographie''. In 1938, the first 1:50.000 map was published: ''263 Wildstrubel''. From 1939 to 1945, all sales were suspended because of [[World War II]]. In 1939, the ''Eidgenössische Landestopographie'' also procured its first vehicle.

The first 1:25:000 map, ''1145 Bielersee'', was published in 1952. The last 1:25.000 map, ''1292 Maggia'', was published in 1979. This marked the finish of the lowest-scale mapping of Switzerland. The first composite in this scale, ''2501 St. Gallen'', was published in 1956.

The 1:50.000 series was completed in 1963 with ''285 Domodossola''. With the publication of this map, the ''Siegfriedkarten'' have been entirely replaced. The first composite on this scale, ''5001 Gotthard'', was published in 1954.

The 1:100.000 series started with ''41 Col du Pillon'' (1954), and finished with ''47 Monte Rosa'' in 1965. With this publication, the ''Dufourkarten'' have been entirely replaced.

The 1:200.000 series started with No. 3 in 1971 and finished with No. 4 in 1976.

The maps on the scales 1:500.000 and 1:1.000.000 were respectively first published in 1965 and 1994. With the publication of the latter map, the work required by the Federal Act of 1935 was finally finished.

Since 1951, different sorts of leisure maps have been published by the Federal Office of Topography. See above for a list of those.

In 1958, the [[Swiss coordinate system|coordinate system]] of the maps was changed. Before 1958, the centre of the coordinate system, [[Bern]], had coordinates (0, 0). Subsequently, it has coordinates (600, 200). This was done so that any coordinate is either an x-coordinate or a y-coordinate: this prevents confusion about the order of the coordinates.

In 1968, the name officially became ''Eidgenössische Landestopographie'' instead of ''Abteilung für Landestopographie'', although this had been common practice for decades. The English name remained unchanged (''Topographical Survey of Switzerland'').

In 1979, the ''Eidgenössische Landestopographie'' was renamed to the current name ''Bundesamt für Landestopographie''. See above for the names in other languages. Since 2002, the international name ''Swisstopo'' has been used. This name had already been used since the website {{URL|http://www.swisstopo.ch}} went online in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.swisstopo.ch/en/about/gesch.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912124532/http://www.swisstopo.ch/en/about/gesch.htm|url-status=dead|title=Swisstopo - history|archive-date=12 September 2009|access-date=14 February 2019}}</ref>