A geodetic surveying appliance, particularly a theodolite or total station, for finding the position of a target which is indicated with a high level of precision in space by a known target mark with an external form configured for this purpose, having • a targeting device, particularly a telescopic sight, wherein the targeting device can swivel in motorized fashion relative to a base of the surveying appliance in order to change the orientation thereof and has at least ∘ an objective-lens unit which defines an optical target axis, and ∘ a camera sensor for acquiring a camera image of the sighted target mark, • angle-measuring functionality for the high-precision capture of the orientation of the target axis, and • evaluation means for image processing, data storage and control of the orientation of the targeting device, characterized in that • a target mark pattern, embodied as a target mark template, corresponding to the external form of the known target mark is stored, wherein a main point in the target mark pattern is defined as indicating the target, and in that • the evaluation means are configured to execute an automatic target sighting functionality such that the start of the function is automatically followed by performance of the following steps: ∘ a camera image of the target mark is taken, ∘ the target mark pattern is matched to the target mark in the camera image by means of image processing, wherein the target mark pattern is made consistent with the target mark in the camera image, so that it is aligned with the target mark in the camera image, ∘ a position of the main point of the target mark pattern in the camera image in the matched state of the target mark pattern is determined and ∘ the orientation of the targeting device is changed in motorized fashion on the basis of the determined position of the main point in the camera image such that the optical target axis is oriented with a high level of precision to the target. • a targeting device, particularly a telescopic sight, wherein the targeting device can swivel in motorized fashion relative to a base of the surveying appliance in order to change the orientation thereof and has at least ∘ an objective-lens unit which defines an optical target axis, and ∘ a camera sensor for acquiring a camera image of the sighted target mark, ∘ an objective-lens unit which defines an optical target axis, and ∘ a camera sensor for acquiring a camera image of the sighted target mark, • angle-measuring functionality for the high-precision capture of the orientation of the target axis, and • evaluation means for image processing, data storage and control of the orientation of the targeting device, • a target mark pattern, embodied as a target mark template, corresponding to the external form of the known target mark is stored, wherein a main point in the target mark pattern is defined as indicating the target, and in that • the evaluation means are configured to execute an automatic target sighting functionality such that the start of the function is automatically followed by performance of the following steps: ∘ a camera image of the target mark is taken, ∘ the target mark pattern is matched to the target mark in the camera image by means of image processing, wherein the target mark pattern is made consistent with the target mark in the camera image, so that it is aligned with the target mark in the camera image, ∘ a position of the main point of the target mark pattern in the camera image in the matched state of the target mark pattern is determined and ∘ the orientation of the targeting device is changed in motorized fashion on the basis of the determined position of the main point in the camera image such that the optical target axis is oriented with a high level of precision to the target. ∘ a camera image of the target mark is taken, ∘ the target mark pattern is matched to the target mark in the camera image by means of image processing, wherein the target mark pattern is made consistent with the target mark in the camera image, so that it is aligned with the target mark in the camera image, ∘ a position of the main point of the target mark pattern in the camera image in the matched state of the target mark pattern is determined and ∘ the orientation of the targeting device is changed in motorized fashion on the basis of the determined position of the main point in the camera image such that the optical target axis is oriented with a high level of precision to the target.