Aerofototeca Nazionale
The National Aerial is a facility for the collection and study of the material aerial photography (aerial photography) on the Italian territory. Founded in 1958 as a branch of the National Photographic Department of the Ministry of Education since 1975 is part of the 'Central Institute for Cataloguing and Documentation.
The aerial photo is a tool now irreplaceable knowledge of the territory; Aerial historical documentation is more a chronological archive of the modifications of the landscape and the environment, critical for the action of protection.
From proper use and targeted to the huge amount of information contained in each frame are derived, in fact, various possibilities of reading, available for a diverse audience that can capture the photographic material in copy or examine and study at the service with the assistance of staff specialized.
The National Aerial has acquired over the years a wealth of over two million images of the Italian territory, collected in different collections ranging from the late nineteenth century until the 90s of the twentieth century. Among the oldest preserved images include those of the Roman Forum, shooting to the 900 by Giacomo Boni and Specialists Brigade of Engineers; other images of that period received by Caproni Aeronautical Museum of Trento, the Photo Library of the 5th Department of the Air Force, from the archive of the painter Francesco Paolo Michetti.
Among the collections of major importance mention planimetric and stereoscopic pictures taken between 1943 and 1945 by the scouts of the British Royal Air Force (RAF), the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) and the German Luftwaffe. In addition to these flights Italian Air Force, Military Geographic Institute and the Property Valuation Office in Florence. Numerous collections donated or purchased by private companies detection aerial photography or production of cartography, which Aerofoto Consult, Aerotop, EIRA, ESACTA, ETA Nistri, Fotocielo, I-BUGA, IRTA, S.A.F. Nistri, SIAT. Some flights of companies still in business, as CGR and SARA Ministers are only available for consultation on site.
At the Aerial is open to a collection of historic equipment for aerial photography and mapping for the return.
