Valle Maggia
Encyclopedia
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....
valley of the Maggia River
Maggia River
The Maggia is a river in the Swiss canton of Ticino.The springs are near the Cristallina mountain and the river runs through the Val Sambuco, the Val Lavizzara, and the Valle Maggia, and enters Lago Maggiore between Ascona and Locarno. The village Maggia is situated on the river.The river is used...
in 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...
, the Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
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 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....
.
The valley is dotted with small picturesque villages with traditional stone houses, vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s and dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
farms. In the mid-19th century due to food shortage, economic hardship and an unsustainable population, many families emigrated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the Americas.
Lodano
Lodano is a village and former municipality in the district of Vallemaggia in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.It was first recorded in 1224 as Lodino....
and Giumaglio
Giumaglio
Giumaglio is a village and former municipality in the district of Vallemaggia in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.It was first recorded in 1224 as Zumano....
presently have a combined population of around 200 people as compared to 500 in the 19th century. The largest industries of the valley after tourism are stone quarrying and dairy production.
The road from Locarno
Locarno
Locarno is the capital of the Locarno district, located on the northern tip of Lake Maggiore in the Swiss canton of Ticino, close to Ascona at the foot of the Alps. It has a population of about 15,000...
through the valley leads to others: the Valley of Bosco Gurin, Val Lavizzara, Val di Campo
Val di Campo
Val di Campo is a small valley to the east of Val Poschiavo, Switzerland. The valley has two real towns, Sfazu and Rifugio Saoseo....
, Val Bavona, Valle di Peccia, Val Sambuco, all part of the Vallemaggia district
Vallemaggia (district)
The district of Vallemaggia is a district of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. It has a population of . The capital of the district is Cevio.-Geography:...
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Tall waterfalls are a common sight in the valley as many mountain streams feed the Maggia River throughout its course. In a distance of less than 40 kilometers the Maggia River runs from the foot of an alpine glacier to Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest of Italy and largest of southern Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.The climate is mild...
. Beginning with tundra
Tundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
plants at its source and finishing with tropical palm trees at its mouth.
See also
Vallemaggia (district)Vallemaggia (district)
The district of Vallemaggia is a district of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. It has a population of . The capital of the district is Cevio.-Geography:...