Monteceneri
Encyclopedia
Monteceneri is a municipality
in the district of Lugano
in the canton
of Ticino
in Switzerland
. It was created on 21 November 2010 through the merger of the municipalities of Medeglia
, Bironico
, Camignolo
, Rivera
and Sigirino
.
, Medeglia was part of the old valley community of Carvina. In 1501-03 changed area around Isone
, Medeglia and Lugano
became part of the county of Bellinzona
, but remained in the Agno
parish
. It became part of the parish of Bironico
in the 13th Century. Then, in 1585, it broke away from that parish to become a vice parish. It was raised to a full parish in 1888. The parish church
of St. Bartholomew was first mentioned in 1328. The romanesque
core of the church was renovated and rebuilt in the 15th and 17 Centuries.
The local economy of the village was based on animal husbandry and forestry. Starting in the 16th Century the residents of Isone and Medeglia bought forests and pastures as far away as Robasacco, Contone
, Cadenazzo
, Sant'Antonino and Camorino
while at the same time opening up trade relations with Bellinzona. In the 19th Century, many inhabitants emigrated with the majority going to Argentina and California. The mountain pastures of Medeglia were classified in 1996 as a wetland of national importance. In 2000, three quarters of the working population worked outside the municipality.
included the villages of Camignolo, Ison, Medeglia, Mezzovico-Vira, Rivera, Robasacco and Sigirino. In the Early Middle Ages
it was under the authority of the bishop
of Como, followed by the city of Como
. At the end of the 13th Century, the Rusca, a noble family from Como, lived in the community. They lived in the castle between 1328-1416. Starting in the 16th Century, an inn at the bridge over the Leguana served as a meeting place of the Swiss Confederation
's ministers.
The parish church is from 1267 and is dedicated to St. Martin.
In the past, the local economy relied on traditional alpine agriculture and emigration. Trade and industry have recently increased, but the current economic structure is dominated by commuters to the lower Vedeggio valley, Lugano and Bellinzona
.
Camignolo appears as part of the parish of Bironico and valley community of Valle Carvina. Como Cathedral
had properties in the village. San Ambrogio castle is mentioned in 1348. It was probably destroyed around the beginning of Swiss Confederation
rule in the 16th Century.
It was a vice-parish in 1670, and became a full parish in 1809. The parish church of S. Pietro e Paolo is first mentioned in the 15th Century. Its present form comes from a reconstruction in 1670. The 10th Century chapel of S. Ambrogio (first mentioned in 1348) is rich in fresco
es from the late Romanesque
and the 15th Century. It was restored in 1976-79.
The inhabitants are still mainly employed in agriculture, though there was constant, large-scale emigration before the industrialization of the valley. Only in recent decades, has there been was a modest development in construction, industry and trade. Camignolo is the seat of a secondary school.
and the Roman era
have been found in Rivera. In the Middle Ages
, Rivera was part of the valley community of Carvina. In the 13th Century Como Cathedral
possessed estates in Sorencino. Starting in 1678, representatives from the twelve members of the Swiss Confederation
in Ticino met in Casa dei landfogti before they assembled in Lugano
.
Rivera was a member of the parish
of Bironico, before it became an independent parish in 1754. From 1779 until 1793, the parish church of S. Spirito was rebuilt.
The villagers earned their living from agriculture, mostly in alpine meadows and pastures. During construction of the Ceneri tunnel in 1872-82, the population increased sharply. The completion of the road in 1811 and the construction of the tunnel and the station led to the emergence of a new district in the flatter part of the valley. This area forms the northern boundary of the agglomeration of Lugano. The base station of the Monte Tamaro gondola opened in 1972 in Rivera.
The Church of St. Andrew was first mentioned in 1296. It was totally rebuilt in the 16th Century and restored in the 18th. After its separation from Bironico in 1625, Sigirino had its own parish.
Economically, the village was dominated by agriculture and emigration. In the 21st Century, it belongs to commercial and industrial zone in the valley floor between Sigirino and the neighboring villages.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 3.0% and transportation infrastructure made up 3.0%. Out of the forested land, 66.8% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.7% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 3.4% is used for growing crops and 3.0% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is flowing water. Of the unproductive areas, 4.9% is unproductive vegetation.
. The entire villaggio of Osignano is designated as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
.
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
in the district of Lugano
Lugano (district)
The district of Lugano is a district of Canton Ticino, Switzerland. It has a population of .-Geography:The Lugano District has an area, , of . Of this area, or 15.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 66.5% is forested...
in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It was created on 21 November 2010 through the merger of the municipalities of Medeglia
Medeglia
Medeglia is a former municipality in the district of Bellinzona in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 21 November 2010, the former municipalities of Medeglia, Bironico, Camignolo, Rivera and Sigirino merged in the new municipality of Monteceneri....
, Bironico
Bironico
Bironico is a village in the northern end of the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.The municipalities of Medeglia, Bironico, Camignolo, Rivera and Sigirino merged on 21 November 2010 into the new municipality of Monteceneri.-History:...
, Camignolo
Camignolo
Camignolo is a former municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. The municipalities of Medeglia, Bironico, Camignolo, Rivera and Sigirino merged on 21 November 2010 into the new municiplaity of Monteceneri.-History:...
, Rivera
Rivera, Switzerland
Rivera is a former municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. The municipalities of Medeglia, Bironico, Camignolo, Rivera and Sigirino merged on 21 November 2010 into the new municiplaity of Monteceneri.-History:...
and Sigirino
Sigirino
Sigirino is a former municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. The municipalities of Medeglia, Bironico, Camignolo, Rivera and Sigirino merged on 21 November 2010 into the new municiplaity of Monteceneri.-History:...
.
History
Medeglia is first mentioned in 1195 as Medellia. Bironico is first mentioned in 1296 as Bironico. Camignolo is first mentioned in 1296 as Camigiollo. Rivera is first mentioned in 1296 as Sorenzino. In 1348 it was mentioned as Rivera. Sigirino is first mentioned in 1335 as Sezelino.Medeglia
It can be assumed that in the High Middle AgesHigh Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages was the period of European history around the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries . The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which by convention end around 1500....
, Medeglia was part of the old valley community of Carvina. In 1501-03 changed area around Isone
Isone
Isone is a municipality in the district of Bellinzona in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.Isone is mainly known for being the location of the grenadier school of the Swiss Army. The Grenadiers are a corps of the infantry and is being instructed in Isone since 1970...
, Medeglia and Lugano
Lugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
became part of the county of Bellinzona
Bellinzona
Bellinzona is the administrative capital of the canton Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its three castles that have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000....
, but remained in the Agno
Agno
Agno is a municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Agno is first mentioned in 818 as Anium. It was known by its German name Eng, though this is no longer used.-Pieve of Agno:...
parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
. It became part of the parish of Bironico
Bironico
Bironico is a village in the northern end of the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.The municipalities of Medeglia, Bironico, Camignolo, Rivera and Sigirino merged on 21 November 2010 into the new municipality of Monteceneri.-History:...
in the 13th Century. Then, in 1585, it broke away from that parish to become a vice parish. It was raised to a full parish in 1888. The parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of St. Bartholomew was first mentioned in 1328. The romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
core of the church was renovated and rebuilt in the 15th and 17 Centuries.
The local economy of the village was based on animal husbandry and forestry. Starting in the 16th Century the residents of Isone and Medeglia bought forests and pastures as far away as Robasacco, Contone
Contone
Contone is a former municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.On 25 April 2010, the former municipalities of Caviano, Contone, Gerra Gambarogno, Indemini, Magadino, Piazzogna, San Nazzaro, Sant'Abbondio and Vira Gambarogno merged in the new municipality of...
, Cadenazzo
Cadenazzo
Cadenazzo is a municipality in the district of Bellinzona, in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 13 March 2005 the formerly independent municipality of Robasacco was absorbed into Cadenazzo.-History:...
, Sant'Antonino and Camorino
Camorino
Camorino is a municipality in the district of Bellinzona in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:From time immemorial the inhabitants of Isone regularly crossed the Tiglio alpine pass to arrive in the Camorino area, where they owned vineyards and arable land. Over the centuries, many of...
while at the same time opening up trade relations with Bellinzona. In the 19th Century, many inhabitants emigrated with the majority going to Argentina and California. The mountain pastures of Medeglia were classified in 1996 as a wetland of national importance. In 2000, three quarters of the working population worked outside the municipality.
Bironico
By 1000, Bironico was probably the secular and religious center of Carvina, which included the middle and upper Vedeggio valley. For example, former parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
included the villages of Camignolo, Ison, Medeglia, Mezzovico-Vira, Rivera, Robasacco and Sigirino. In the Early Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
it was under the authority of the bishop
Roman Catholic Diocese of Como
The Catholic diocese of Como, in northern Italy, has existed since the fourth century. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Milan. The bishops' seat is in Como Cathedral....
of Como, followed by the city of Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
. At the end of the 13th Century, the Rusca, a noble family from Como, lived in the community. They lived in the castle between 1328-1416. Starting in the 16th Century, an inn at the bridge over the Leguana served as a meeting place of the Swiss Confederation
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
's ministers.
The parish church is from 1267 and is dedicated to St. Martin.
In the past, the local economy relied on traditional alpine agriculture and emigration. Trade and industry have recently increased, but the current economic structure is dominated by commuters to the lower Vedeggio valley, Lugano and Bellinzona
Bellinzona
Bellinzona is the administrative capital of the canton Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its three castles that have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000....
.
Camignolo
In the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
Camignolo appears as part of the parish of Bironico and valley community of Valle Carvina. Como Cathedral
Como Cathedral
Como Cathedral is the Roman Catholic cathedral of the city of Como, Lombardy, Italy, and the seat of the Bishop of Como. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The cathedral, located near Lake Como, is one of the most important buildings in the region...
had properties in the village. San Ambrogio castle is mentioned in 1348. It was probably destroyed around the beginning of Swiss Confederation
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
rule in the 16th Century.
It was a vice-parish in 1670, and became a full parish in 1809. The parish church of S. Pietro e Paolo is first mentioned in the 15th Century. Its present form comes from a reconstruction in 1670. The 10th Century chapel of S. Ambrogio (first mentioned in 1348) is rich in fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es from the late Romanesque
Romanesque art
Romanesque art refers to the art of Western Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic style in the 13th century, or later, depending on region. The preceding period is increasingly known as the Pre-Romanesque...
and the 15th Century. It was restored in 1976-79.
The inhabitants are still mainly employed in agriculture, though there was constant, large-scale emigration before the industrialization of the valley. Only in recent decades, has there been was a modest development in construction, industry and trade. Camignolo is the seat of a secondary school.
Rivera
Archeological objects and graves from the Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
and the Roman era
Switzerland in the Roman era
The history of Switzerland in the Roman era encompasses the roughly six centuries during which the territory of modern Switzerland was a part of the Roman Republic and Empire...
have been found in Rivera. In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, Rivera was part of the valley community of Carvina. In the 13th Century Como Cathedral
Como Cathedral
Como Cathedral is the Roman Catholic cathedral of the city of Como, Lombardy, Italy, and the seat of the Bishop of Como. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The cathedral, located near Lake Como, is one of the most important buildings in the region...
possessed estates in Sorencino. Starting in 1678, representatives from the twelve members of the Swiss Confederation
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
in Ticino met in Casa dei landfogti before they assembled in Lugano
Lugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
.
Rivera was a member of the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Bironico, before it became an independent parish in 1754. From 1779 until 1793, the parish church of S. Spirito was rebuilt.
The villagers earned their living from agriculture, mostly in alpine meadows and pastures. During construction of the Ceneri tunnel in 1872-82, the population increased sharply. The completion of the road in 1811 and the construction of the tunnel and the station led to the emergence of a new district in the flatter part of the valley. This area forms the northern boundary of the agglomeration of Lugano. The base station of the Monte Tamaro gondola opened in 1972 in Rivera.
Sigirino
In the Middle Ages, Sigirino belonged to the territory of the Carvina valley community. In a land register of 1296,Como Cathedral possessed lands, pastures, forests, farmland and land with houses in Sigirino. It is likely that at that time Sigirino possessed some type of fortifications.The Church of St. Andrew was first mentioned in 1296. It was totally rebuilt in the 16th Century and restored in the 18th. After its separation from Bironico in 1625, Sigirino had its own parish.
Economically, the village was dominated by agriculture and emigration. In the 21st Century, it belongs to commercial and industrial zone in the valley floor between Sigirino and the neighboring villages.
Geography
Monteceneri has an area, , of 37.04 square kilometres (14.3 sq mi). Of this area, 2.65 km² (1 sq mi) or 7.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 28.51 km² (11 sq mi) or 77.0% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 2.79 km² (1.1 sq mi) or 7.5% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.27 km² (0.104247582819984 sq mi) or 0.7% is either rivers or lakes and 2.11 km² (0.814675554630249 sq mi) or 5.7% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 3.0% and transportation infrastructure made up 3.0%. Out of the forested land, 66.8% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.7% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 3.4% is used for growing crops and 3.0% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is flowing water. Of the unproductive areas, 4.9% is unproductive vegetation.
Demographics
Monteceneri has a population of .Heritage sites of national significance
The Ruderi Del Castello Di S. Sofia and Stazione Radio Monte Ceneri are listed as Swiss heritage site of national significanceSwiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
. The entire villaggio of Osignano is designated as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
The Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites is part of a 1981 Ordinance of the Swiss Federal Council implementing the Federal Law on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage.-Sites of national importance:-Types:...
.