Gribbio
Encyclopedia
Gribbio is an Italian-speaking village in Ticino, Switzerland, in the district of Chironico
.
It is situated in the Lepontine
Alps
, more specifically in Alta Leventina between Chironico and Dalpe
at an altitude of 1,300 metres. The village consists of one church with an ambulatory priest
, approximately 30 houses and a cafe/restaurant (Ul Ciurlin - The Little Coffee) with a small menu of typical dishes from the area. As the village is inaccessible in winter there are no permanent residents, but in summer there is a population of 80-100 people. Originally farmers took their cows higher up into the mountains to graze over the summer, using Gribbio as a 'base camp' before returning down the valley for the winter. However, in recent years the village has become more popular as a summer holiday home. Gribbio, unlike Osadigo, Cala, Doro or Olina Ces, has access to a passable road from Chironico, however the road is not cleared of snow and therefore is not accessible by car in winter except in unusually mild weather.
The surrounding area is one of natural beauty and substantial wildlife, including chamois
, deer and eagles. Hunting is forbidden in the area. One of the local features is Pizzo Forno
, a mountain overlooking the village. The Gribbiasca River runs through the village.
The local version of Italian is known as Leventinese, a subdivision of the Swiss Italian/Ticinese
dialect and is particularly difficult for speakers of standard Italian to understand.
Chironico
Chironico is a municipality located in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Chironico is first mentioned in 1202 as Cuirono. The village lies on a terrace that was partly created by a prehistoric landslide on the opposite side of the valley...
.
It is situated in the Lepontine
Lepontine Alps
The Lepontine Alps are a mountain range in the central part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland and Italy .On the north the upper Rhône valley separate them from the Bernese Alps and the Furka Pass and the upper Reuss valley separates them from the Urner Alps; on the west the Simplon Pass...
Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
, more specifically in Alta Leventina between Chironico and Dalpe
Dalpe
Dalpe is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:In Dalpe a small cemetery from a 5th Century BC Golasecca culture settlement was discovered. Dalpe is first mentioned in 1217 as Albe. In the 13th Century the Gotthard route went through Faido to...
at an altitude of 1,300 metres. The village consists of one church with an ambulatory priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, approximately 30 houses and a cafe/restaurant (Ul Ciurlin - The Little Coffee) with a small menu of typical dishes from the area. As the village is inaccessible in winter there are no permanent residents, but in summer there is a population of 80-100 people. Originally farmers took their cows higher up into the mountains to graze over the summer, using Gribbio as a 'base camp' before returning down the valley for the winter. However, in recent years the village has become more popular as a summer holiday home. Gribbio, unlike Osadigo, Cala, Doro or Olina Ces, has access to a passable road from Chironico, however the road is not cleared of snow and therefore is not accessible by car in winter except in unusually mild weather.
The surrounding area is one of natural beauty and substantial wildlife, including chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, deer and eagles. Hunting is forbidden in the area. One of the local features is Pizzo Forno
Pizzo Forno
Pizzo Forno is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps, located in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland. It is to be found between Piumogna Valley, Chironico Valley and Leventina Valley. It is in pyramid form and is separate from Pizzo di Campo Tencia in the east. It is visible from the municipalities of...
, a mountain overlooking the village. The Gribbiasca River runs through the village.
The local version of Italian is known as Leventinese, a subdivision of the Swiss Italian/Ticinese
Ticinese
Ticinese is a comprehensive denomination for the varieties of Lombard language spoken in Canton Ticino and in the north of the Province of Varese....
dialect and is particularly difficult for speakers of standard Italian to understand.
External links
- http://maps.google.co.uk/ Type in Gribbio, Switzerland for the location of the village.