Switzerland:ortsnamen.ch

ortsnamen.ch is a collaborative research project on historic place names in Switzerland using various sources. The data is georeferenced and stored in a publically accessible database.

Usage in OSM

The database/web site doesn't have any explicit usage terms, on request the operators indicated that the data is freely usable if appropriate attribution to ortsnamen.ch is given. The data is most useful in conjunction with the GWR street name list to track down the location of non-road address parts, a wholesale import would not make sense since most of the data is historic.

As of now the most interesting data seems to be in the Cantons Appenzell (AI and AR), Graubünden, Glarus, Thurgau, Nidwalden, St. Gallen, Uri, Zürich and Zug.

Unluckily the data displays currently overlays the data on a google map, naturally the google data may NOT be used. An acceptable way of adding information from the databasse would in JOSM:

• switch JOSM to Swiss projection
• search for names in the municipality of interest in the ortsnamen.ch database, sometimes the markers will display on the map sometimes not
• display the details for the object in question
• add a node with the JOSM add a node tool, enter the coordinates from ortsnamen.ch as east/north value