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Cugnasco

Coordinates: 46°11′N 8°55′E / 46.183°N 8.917°E / 46.183; 8.917
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Cugnasco
Cugnasco village
Cugnasco village
Coat of arms of Cugnasco
Location of Cugnasco
Map
Cugnasco is located in Switzerland
Cugnasco
Cugnasco
Cugnasco is located in Canton of Ticino
Cugnasco
Cugnasco
Coordinates: 46°11′N 8°55′E / 46.183°N 8.917°E / 46.183; 8.917
CountrySwitzerland
CantonTicino
DistrictLocarno
MunicipalityCugnasco-Gerra
Area
 • Total171 km2 (66 sq mi)
Elevation
225 m (738 ft)
Population
 (2006)
 • Total1,269
 • Density7.4/km2 (19/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (Central European Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (Central European Summer Time)
Postal code(s)
6516
SFOS number5104
ISO 3166 codeCH-TI
LocalitiesBosco, Boscioredo, Massarescio, Medoscio, Moncucco, Pianrestello, Sciarana, La Monda
Websitewww.cugnasco.ch

Cugnasco is a village in the municipality Cugnasco-Gerra of the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.

Cugnasco had a population of nearly 1300.[when?]

Cugnasco was an independent municipality until January 1, 2009, when it merged with Gerra (Verzasca) to form Cugnasco-Gerra.

Location

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Cugnasco is on the outskirts of the Magadino valley. It includes the settlements of Boscioredo, Cugnasco, Bosco, Massarescio, Medoscio, Moncucco, Pianrestello and Sciarana.[1]

History

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Cugnasco is first mentioned in 1374 as Cunyascho.[1] Today's mountain pastures of Ditto and Curogna are the oldest settlements of the municipality. The settlements in the marshy Ticino river floodplain, developed later. The present village developed mainly due to the herders who brought their cattle down into the Magadino valley for the winter. In the 13th and 14th Centuries there was a migration from Verzasca valley and about 150 inhabitants of Ditto and Curogna moved down into the valley. Cugnasco grew into a center of community life for the surrounding settlements.[1]

As Cugnasco grew, a Servite monastery grew up as well. In 1653, the monastery was closed. However, the Chapel of the Beata Vergine delle Grazie continued to serve for the inhabitants of the plain. Before the chapel, they had to travel to Tenero for worship services. The small 15th Century church, now a heritage site of national significance[2] containing valuable frescoes from the 16th and 17th Century was the goal of many pilgrims from the region.

In 1635-56 the provost's St. Joseph Church was built. It later became a parish center, while Ditto and Curogna still had a Vicariate. Both the chapel of San Martino in Ditto and the SS Cristoforo e Anna in Curogna date from the 14th and 15th Century and contains frescoes from various periods.[1]

Cugnasco was located at the crossroads of two important trade routes from Locarno to Bellinzona and from Cugnasco to Contone, which was near the so-called Porto sul Ticino, a river crossing. After the collapse of the bridge at Bellinzona in 1515, this second route became nearly the only way across the river. Historically, the economy of Cugnasco relied nearly exclusively on agriculture and pastoralism. However, by 2000 less than 15% of workers worked in agriculture and about three quarters were commuters.[1]

Historic population

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The historical population is given in the following table:

Year Population
Cugnasco[1]
1591 285
1760 325
1801 279
1850 349
1900 433
1960 428
1990 821
2000 1,120

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Cugnasco in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  2. ^ "Kantonsliste A-Objekte:Ticino" (PDF). KGS Inventar (in German). Federal Office of Civil Protection. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
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