Alto Malcantone
Encyclopedia
Alto Malcantone is a municipality
in the district of Lugano
in the canton
of Ticino
in Switzerland
. It was formed on 13 March 2005 from the earlier municipalities of Arosio
, Breno
, Fescoggia
, Mugena
and Vezio
.
road leading from Ponte Tresa
to Monte Ceneri Pass
ran through Arosio. By the Middle Ages
it was a central town in the upper Magliasina valley, which was at that time was known as the Valle d'Arosio. The villages of Arosio, Breno, Cademario, Mugena Tortoglio and Vezio formed an economic and political unit.
The Church of San Michele is first mentioned in 1217. In 1640-47 it was totally rebuilt. It contains a cycle of fresco
es by Antonio da Tradate and notable stucco
work by local artists from the 17th and 18th Centuries. At one time, the architects and master builders of Arosio operated throughout Europe.
The local economy was based on agriculture and herding in the alpine meadows. In recent decades the services sector dominated the local economy. After 1960, a number of new houses were built in the village.
in Breno. The village name is celtic
in origin, though the exact meaning is unknown. At some time after the year 1000, the Abbey of S. Abbondio in Como
acquired some rights and land in Breno. The municipality bought itself out from under those rights in 1579. Modernly, the village includes the south land that once belonged to the municipality of Tortoglio. This land was abandoned in the wake of a plague in the 15th Century. The village was involved in a land dispute with Miglieglia until 1890.
The parish
was established as Fescoggia parish in 1592. The Parish Church
of S. Lorenzo was built in 1233, rebuilt in 1596 and expanded in 1852.
The local economy included both agriculture and herding in alpine pastures. Alp Rettaiola (alpine pasture) was lost after a century-long dispute with the Italian
Valle Veddasca
, following a by a decision of the Varese
Congress in 1752. In the upper Malcantone Valley many of the farmers own land both in the Valley and in the lower, hilly area between Neggio and Bosco Luganese. Before winter sets in, they move their animals down into the hills to their winter pastures. The seasonal migration
began in the 16th Century and was very common until the beginning of the 19th Century. Between 16th and 19th Centuries, limited land and resources led to a large exodus of construction workers from Breno. A strong philanthropic attitude and community life, often supported by grants from wealthy villagers who had emigrated, allowed the village to build a number of institutions in the 19th Century. The most important is the school of drawing from 1883. By the end of the 20th Century, many of the workers in Breno commuted to Lugano for work.
. The Monastery of S. Abbondio in Como owned the tithe
right in the village, but sold it in 1579 to Breno.
Fescoggia belongs to the parish of Breno. The Chapel of S. Silvester was built in the late 13th Century, over the ruins of a church dedicated to Madonna of the snows. It was renovated in the late 18th Century.
In the 15th Century, the village area also included Monti di Lot and Alp Firinesc. Until the end of the 19th Century, the inhabitants also drove their animals in a seasonal migration to alpine pastures to the east slopes of the mountains of Santa Maria and Cervello. On Monte Torri, in the 19th Century, an iron ore (hematite
) mine opened an a furnace for smelting operation was built. In 2000, more than four-fifths of the workers living in Fescoggia were commuters.
s and rights to use alpine meadows over half of Nisciora Alp. Some documents mention a castrum, probably a supply camp, but his determination remains controversial. In the 13th Century, Mugena belonged to the Valle d'Arosio (upper Magliasina Valley), an economic and administrative unit, which included Arosio, Breno, Cademario, Mugena, Tortoglio and Vezio.
The parish church
of S. Agata is first mentioned in 1361. In 1636 it was, after Mugena separated from Breno, promoted to a vice parish. The church was renovated and toward the end of the 17th Century, completely rebuilt. The current church features valuable stucco work from the 18th Century.
The village has retained its rural appearance. Historically, farming and grazing in the alpine meadows of S. Maria and Cervello were the main source of income. At the beginning of the 21st Century, most residents in the valley work in Lugano.
, the Bishop
and monastery of St. Abbondio in Como owned property and rights in Vezio. It was part of the parish
of Breno until 1626, when it became part of the Mugena parish. It was established in 1684 as a vice-parish.
The parish church of St. Bartholomew was built in 1745 on the grounds at an former building, which dates from 1444. Inside the church there are fine stucco by artists from the Malcantone Valley.
Until the Second World War there was a strong migration of construction workers to jobs outside Switzerland. Until the late 19th century, part of the population seasonally migrated
to the eastern slopes of the mountains of S. Maria and Cervello. In the early 20th Century a small hydroelectric plant was built near the village.
Most of the population speaks Italian
(87.1%), with German
being second most common (9.0%) and French
being third (2.2%).
, the gender distribution of the population was 47.8% male and 52.2% female. The population was made up of 572 Swiss men (44.2% of the population), and 47 (3.6%) non-Swiss men. There were 645 Swiss women (49.8%), and 31 (2.4%) non-Swiss women.
In there were 12 live births to Swiss citizens and 1 birth to non-Swiss citizens, and in same time span there were 12 deaths of Swiss citizens. Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens remained the same while the foreign population increased by 1. There was 1 Swiss man who immigrated back to Switzerland. At the same time, there was 1 non-Swiss man and 1 non-Swiss woman who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources, including moves across municipal borders) was an increase of 13 and the non-Swiss population change was a decrease of 3 people. This represents a population growth rate of 0.8%.
The age distribution, , in Alto Malcantone is; 134 children or 10.3% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 133 teenagers or 10.3% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 118 people or 9.1% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 168 people or 13.0% are between 30 and 39, 224 people or 17.3% are between 40 and 49, and 174 people or 13.4% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 164 people or 12.7% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 103 people or 8.0% are between 70 and 79, there are 77 people or 5.9% who are over 80.
the most popular party was the FDP
which received 30.03% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
(23.52%), the SP
(21.25%) and the Ticino League
(10.01%). In the federal election, a total of 464 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
was 46.0%.
In the Gran Consiglio election, there were a total of 951 registered voters in Alto Malcantone, of which 623 or 65.5% voted. 6 blank ballots and 3 null ballots were cast, leaving 614 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PLRT
which received 180 or 29.3% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PPD
+GenGiova (with 115 or 18.7%), the PS
(with 107 or 17.4%) and the SSI (with 94 or 15.3%).
In the Consiglio di Stato election, 8 blank ballots and 3 null ballots were cast, leaving 612 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PLRT which received 166 or 27.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PS (with 122 or 19.9%), the PPD (with 111 or 18.1%) and the LEGA (with 107 or 17.5%).
).
In Alto Malcantone there were a total of 182 students . The Ticino education system
provides up to three years of non-mandatory kindergarten
and in Alto Malcantone there were children in kindergarten. The primary school program lasts for five years and includes both a standard school and a special school. In the municipality, 66 students attended the standard primary schools and 3 students attended the special school. In the lower secondary school system, students either attend a two year middle school followed by a two year pre-apprenticeship or they attend a four year program to prepare for higher education. There were 56 students in the two year middle school, while 17 students were in the four year advanced program.
The upper secondary school includes several options, but at the end of the upper secondary program, a student will be prepared to enter a trade or to continue on to a university or college. In Ticino, vocational students may either attend school while working on their internship or apprenticeship (which takes three or four years) or may attend school followed by an internship or apprenticeship (which takes one year as a full-time student or one and a half to two years as a part-time student). There were 14 vocational students who were attending school full-time and 22 who attend part-time.
The professional program lasts three years and prepares a student for a job in engineering, nursing, computer science, business, tourism and similar fields. There were 4 students in the professional program.
, there were 2 hotels in Alto Malcantone.
or a rent-to-own agreement).
, there were 501 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.2 persons per household. The vacancy rate for the municipality, , was 0%. , the construction rate of new housing units was 7.1 new units per 1000 residents.
. The entire village of Breno is 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 formed on 13 March 2005 from the earlier municipalities of Arosio
Arosio, Switzerland
Arosio is a village and former municipality in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.In 2005 the municipality was merged with the other, neighboring municipalities Breno, Fescoggia, Mugena and Vezio to form a new and larger municipality Alto Malcantone.-History:...
, Breno
Breno, Ticino
Breno is a village and former municipality in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.In 2005 the municipality was merged with the other, neighboring municipalities Arosio, Fescoggia, Mugena and Vezio to form a new and larger municipality Alto Malcantone.-History:...
, Fescoggia
Fescoggia
Fescoggia is a village and former municipality in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.In 2005 the municipality was merged with the other, neighboring municipalities Arosio, Breno, Mugena and Vezio to form a new and larger municipality Alto Malcantone.-History:...
, Mugena
Mugena
Mugena is a village and former municipality in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.In 2005 the municipality was merged with the other, neighboring municipalities Arosio, Breno, Fescoggia and Vezio to form a new and larger municipality Alto Malcantone.-History:...
and Vezio
Vezio
Vezio is a village and former municipality in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.In 2005 the municipality was merged with the other, neighboring municipalities Arosio, Breno, Fescoggia and Mugena to form a new and larger municipality Alto Malcantone.-History:...
.
History
Arosio is first mentioned in 1335 as Aroxio. Breno is first mentioned in 1140 as Breno. Fescoggia is first mentioned in 1296 as Fescozia. Mugena is first mentioned in 1214 as Megiadina. In 1270 it was mentioned as Migena. Vezio is first mentioned in 1355 as Vecio.Arosio
According to tradition, the RomanSwitzerland 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...
road leading from Ponte Tresa
Ponte Tresa
Ponte Tresa is a municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Ponte Tresa is first mentioned in 818 as ad Tresiae Pontem, though this comes from a 12th Century copy of the earlier document. In 875 it was mentioned as Ponte Tretia...
to Monte Ceneri Pass
Monte Ceneri Pass
Monte Ceneri Pass is a mountain pass in the Alps in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.It connects the Magadino plain and the Vedeggio valley....
ran through Arosio. By 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...
it was a central town in the upper Magliasina valley, which was at that time was known as the Valle d'Arosio. The villages of Arosio, Breno, Cademario, Mugena Tortoglio and Vezio formed an economic and political unit.
The Church of San Michele is first mentioned in 1217. In 1640-47 it was totally rebuilt. It contains a cycle of 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 by Antonio da Tradate and notable stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
work by local artists from the 17th and 18th Centuries. At one time, the architects and master builders of Arosio operated throughout Europe.
The local economy was based on agriculture and herding in the alpine meadows. In recent decades the services sector dominated the local economy. After 1960, a number of new houses were built in the village.
Breno
Archaeological digs have uncovered items from the Roman eraSwitzerland 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...
in Breno. The village name is celtic
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
in origin, though the exact meaning is unknown. At some time after the year 1000, the Abbey of S. Abbondio in Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
acquired some rights and land in Breno. The municipality bought itself out from under those rights in 1579. Modernly, the village includes the south land that once belonged to the municipality of Tortoglio. This land was abandoned in the wake of a plague in the 15th Century. The village was involved in a land dispute with Miglieglia until 1890.
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...
was established as Fescoggia parish in 1592. 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 S. Lorenzo was built in 1233, rebuilt in 1596 and expanded in 1852.
The local economy included both agriculture and herding in alpine pastures. Alp Rettaiola (alpine pasture) was lost after a century-long dispute with the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Valle Veddasca
Veddasca
Veddasca is a comune in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 70 km northwest of Milan and about 30 km north of Varese in the Val Veddasca, on the border with Switzerland....
, following a by a decision of the Varese
Varese
Varese is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.- Geography :...
Congress in 1752. In the upper Malcantone Valley many of the farmers own land both in the Valley and in the lower, hilly area between Neggio and Bosco Luganese. Before winter sets in, they move their animals down into the hills to their winter pastures. The seasonal migration
Transhumance in the Alps
Transhumance in the Alps, or seasonal migration between valley and high pastures is a traditional practice that has shaped much of the landscape in the Alps, as without it, most areas below 2000 m would be forests.While tourism and industry contribute today much to Alpine economy, seasonal...
began in the 16th Century and was very common until the beginning of the 19th Century. Between 16th and 19th Centuries, limited land and resources led to a large exodus of construction workers from Breno. A strong philanthropic attitude and community life, often supported by grants from wealthy villagers who had emigrated, allowed the village to build a number of institutions in the 19th Century. The most important is the school of drawing from 1883. By the end of the 20th Century, many of the workers in Breno commuted to Lugano for work.
Fescoggia
According to a 1296 document Fescoggia was one of only two villages that was in the Lugano area, but was totally owned by Como CathedralComo 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...
. The Monastery of S. Abbondio in Como owned the tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
right in the village, but sold it in 1579 to Breno.
Fescoggia belongs to the parish of Breno. The Chapel of S. Silvester was built in the late 13th Century, over the ruins of a church dedicated to Madonna of the snows. It was renovated in the late 18th Century.
In the 15th Century, the village area also included Monti di Lot and Alp Firinesc. Until the end of the 19th Century, the inhabitants also drove their animals in a seasonal migration to alpine pastures to the east slopes of the mountains of Santa Maria and Cervello. On Monte Torri, in the 19th Century, an iron ore (hematite
Hematite
Hematite, also spelled as haematite, is the mineral form of iron oxide , one of several iron oxides. Hematite crystallizes in the rhombohedral system, and it has the same crystal structure as ilmenite and corundum...
) mine opened an a furnace for smelting operation was built. In 2000, more than four-fifths of the workers living in Fescoggia were commuters.
Mugena
A random discovery led to the excavation of a Roman cremation cemetery. In the Middle Ages, Como Cathedral possessed property, titheTithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
s and rights to use alpine meadows over half of Nisciora Alp. Some documents mention a castrum, probably a supply camp, but his determination remains controversial. In the 13th Century, Mugena belonged to the Valle d'Arosio (upper Magliasina Valley), an economic and administrative unit, which included Arosio, Breno, Cademario, Mugena, Tortoglio and Vezio.
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 S. Agata is first mentioned in 1361. In 1636 it was, after Mugena separated from Breno, promoted to a vice parish. The church was renovated and toward the end of the 17th Century, completely rebuilt. The current church features valuable stucco work from the 18th Century.
The village has retained its rural appearance. Historically, farming and grazing in the alpine meadows of S. Maria and Cervello were the main source of income. At the beginning of the 21st Century, most residents in the valley work in Lugano.
Vezio
In the Early Middle AgesEarly 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...
, 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....
and monastery of St. Abbondio in Como owned property and rights in Vezio. It was part 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 Breno until 1626, when it became part of the Mugena parish. It was established in 1684 as a vice-parish.
The parish church of St. Bartholomew was built in 1745 on the grounds at an former building, which dates from 1444. Inside the church there are fine stucco by artists from the Malcantone Valley.
Until the Second World War there was a strong migration of construction workers to jobs outside Switzerland. Until the late 19th century, part of the population seasonally migrated
Transhumance in the Alps
Transhumance in the Alps, or seasonal migration between valley and high pastures is a traditional practice that has shaped much of the landscape in the Alps, as without it, most areas below 2000 m would be forests.While tourism and industry contribute today much to Alpine economy, seasonal...
to the eastern slopes of the mountains of S. Maria and Cervello. In the early 20th Century a small hydroelectric plant was built near the village.
Geography
Alto Malcantone has an area, , of 21.92 square kilometres (8.5 sq mi). Of this area, 18.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 67.5% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 3.1% is settled (buildings or roads) and 10.4% is unproductive land.Demograhics
Alto Malcantone has a population of . , 6.3% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of 16%.Most of the population speaks 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...
(87.1%), with German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
being second most common (9.0%) and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
being third (2.2%).
, the gender distribution of the population was 47.8% male and 52.2% female. The population was made up of 572 Swiss men (44.2% of the population), and 47 (3.6%) non-Swiss men. There were 645 Swiss women (49.8%), and 31 (2.4%) non-Swiss women.
In there were 12 live births to Swiss citizens and 1 birth to non-Swiss citizens, and in same time span there were 12 deaths of Swiss citizens. Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens remained the same while the foreign population increased by 1. There was 1 Swiss man who immigrated back to Switzerland. At the same time, there was 1 non-Swiss man and 1 non-Swiss woman who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources, including moves across municipal borders) was an increase of 13 and the non-Swiss population change was a decrease of 3 people. This represents a population growth rate of 0.8%.
The age distribution, , in Alto Malcantone is; 134 children or 10.3% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 133 teenagers or 10.3% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 118 people or 9.1% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 168 people or 13.0% are between 30 and 39, 224 people or 17.3% are between 40 and 49, and 174 people or 13.4% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 164 people or 12.7% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 103 people or 8.0% are between 70 and 79, there are 77 people or 5.9% who are over 80.
Historic Population
The historical population is given in the following table:| Year | Population Arosio | Population Breno | Population Fescoggia | Population Mugena | Population Vezio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1599 | ca. 300 | - | - | 180 | - |
| 1692 | - | 521 | - | - | - |
| 1670 | - | - | - | - | 194 |
| 1801 | 221 | 459 | 131 | 108 | 171 |
| 1850 | 232 | 395 | 177 | 175 | 273 |
| 1900 | 186 | 398 | 149 | 157 | - |
| 1950 | 197 | 281 | 83 | 150 | - |
| 1990 | - | 197 | 105 | - | 171 |
| 2000 | 422 | 255 | 88 | 141 | - |
Politics
In the 2007 federal electionSwiss federal election, 2007
Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament of Switzerland, were held on Sunday, 21 October 2007. In a few cantons, a second round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November, 18 November, and 25 November 2007...
the most popular party was the FDP
FDP.The Liberals
FDP.The Liberals is a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It is the joint-largest party in the Federal Council, third-largest party in the National Council, and second-largest in the Council of States....
which received 30.03% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
(23.52%), the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(21.25%) and the Ticino League
Ticino League
The Ticino League is an isolationist, national conservative political party in Switzerland active in the canton of Ticino.In 1991, after some public campaigning in the Sunday journal Mattino della Domenica against political power and use of public money, the editor Giuliano Bignasca and the...
(10.01%). In the federal election, a total of 464 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
was 46.0%.
In the Gran Consiglio election, there were a total of 951 registered voters in Alto Malcantone, of which 623 or 65.5% voted. 6 blank ballots and 3 null ballots were cast, leaving 614 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PLRT
FDP.The Liberals
FDP.The Liberals is a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It is the joint-largest party in the Federal Council, third-largest party in the National Council, and second-largest in the Council of States....
which received 180 or 29.3% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PPD
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
+GenGiova (with 115 or 18.7%), the PS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(with 107 or 17.4%) and the SSI (with 94 or 15.3%).
In the Consiglio di Stato election, 8 blank ballots and 3 null ballots were cast, leaving 612 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the PLRT which received 166 or 27.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PS (with 122 or 19.9%), the PPD (with 111 or 18.1%) and the LEGA (with 107 or 17.5%).
Education
In Alto Malcantone about 78.5% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a FachhochschuleFachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
).
In Alto Malcantone there were a total of 182 students . The Ticino education system
Education in Switzerland
The education system in Switzerland is very diverse, because the constitution of Switzerland delegates the authority for the school system mainly to the cantons...
provides up to three years of non-mandatory kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
and in Alto Malcantone there were children in kindergarten. The primary school program lasts for five years and includes both a standard school and a special school. In the municipality, 66 students attended the standard primary schools and 3 students attended the special school. In the lower secondary school system, students either attend a two year middle school followed by a two year pre-apprenticeship or they attend a four year program to prepare for higher education. There were 56 students in the two year middle school, while 17 students were in the four year advanced program.
The upper secondary school includes several options, but at the end of the upper secondary program, a student will be prepared to enter a trade or to continue on to a university or college. In Ticino, vocational students may either attend school while working on their internship or apprenticeship (which takes three or four years) or may attend school followed by an internship or apprenticeship (which takes one year as a full-time student or one and a half to two years as a part-time student). There were 14 vocational students who were attending school full-time and 22 who attend part-time.
The professional program lasts three years and prepares a student for a job in engineering, nursing, computer science, business, tourism and similar fields. There were 4 students in the professional program.
Economy
, Alto Malcantone had an unemployment rate of 3.16%. , there were 24 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 10 businesses involved in this sector. 41 people were employed in the secondary sector and there were 14 businesses in this sector. 61 people were employed in the tertiary sector, with 22 businesses in this sector. Of the working population, 10.6% used public transportation to get to work, and 70.6% used a private car., there were 2 hotels in Alto Malcantone.
Housing
the average number of residents per living room was 0.53 which is less people per room than the cantonal average of 0.6 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43.1 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 60.3% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgageMortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
or a rent-to-own agreement).
, there were 501 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.2 persons per household. The vacancy rate for the municipality, , was 0%. , the construction rate of new housing units was 7.1 new units per 1000 residents.
Heritage sites of national significance
The Parish Church of Di S. Michele and is listed as a 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 village of Breno is 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:...
.