Campo, Vallemaggia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Campo
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 Campo
Location in Switzerland
Campo
Location in Canton of Ticino
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Ticino | |
| District | Vallemaggia | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 43.31 km2 (16.72 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,321 m (4,334 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 49 | |
| • Density | 1.131/km2 (2.930/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
6684
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| Surrounded by | Bosco/Gurin, Cerentino, Cevio, Maggia, Montecrestese (IT-VB), Premia (IT-VB), Santa Maria Maggiore (IT-VB), Vergeletto | |
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Campo is a small town in Switzerland. It is located in the Vallemaggia area, which is part of the canton of Ticino.
Contents
History of Campo
In the 1400s, the area around Campo, along with nearby towns like Cevio, was part of a special administrative district called Roana Superior. This was like a local government area.
Campo used to be part of the parish (church district) of Cevio until 1513. Later, in 1767, the villages of Cimalmotto and Niva formed their own church districts. They also became independent political towns for a while.
The church of S. Bernardo in Campo was likely built in the 1300s. It was made bigger several times, including in the 16th and 18th centuries. This church has beautiful paintings by Giuseppe Mattia Borgnis from 1745. He also worked on other churches nearby.
During the 1600s and 1700s, many people from Campo moved to Germany and Italy. This was because there wasn't enough land to farm. Some of these people became very rich, especially merchants. They used their wealth to decorate many village buildings with frescoes (wall paintings). This led to a powerful middle class in Campo.
Today, only a few families still work in farming. Most houses in Campo are now used as holiday homes. Even in the 1700s, the area was a popular place for vacations. Since 1850, the number of people living in Campo has gone down. Many residents moved to bigger cities. It's hard for Campo to become a "commuter town" (where people live but travel to work elsewhere) because it's far from bigger cities like Locarno (42 kilometers or about 26 miles) and the roads are difficult.
The area has also faced challenges from nature. Poor soil conditions and too much logging caused many landslides starting in the 1800s.
Geography and Landscape
Campo covers an area of about 43.27 square kilometers (16.71 sq mi). A small part, about 2.5%, is used for farming. Forests cover a large portion, about 44.4% of the land.
Buildings and roads make up about 0.8% of the area. Rivers and lakes cover about 1.8%. The largest part, almost 40%, is unproductive land, meaning it's too rocky or has too little vegetation to be used.
The town is located in the upper Valle di Campo, which is part of the Vallemaggia district. Campo includes several small villages: Campo (also called Mezzo), Cimalmotto (at 1405 meters or 4610 feet high), Piano, and Niva (at 955 meters or 3133 feet high). These villages are quite spread out and isolated from each other.
Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for Campo is a simple design. It shows a golden fleur-de-lis (a stylized lily) on a blue background.
People and Population
Campo has a small population of about 56 people. As of 2008, about 8.8% of the people living there were foreign nationals. Over ten years, from 1997 to 2007, the population decreased by about 9.5%.
Most people in Campo speak Italian language (89.7%). German is the second most common language (8.6%), followed by English (1.7%).
In 2008, there were slightly more men (55.8%) than women (44.2%) living in Campo. Most residents were Swiss citizens. About 44.8% of the people living in Campo in 2000 were born there.
The population has changed a lot over time. In 1683, there were over 1000 people. By 1900, it had dropped to 291. The population continued to decline, reaching 47 in 1990. In 2000, it slightly increased to 58.
Important Buildings and Sites
Campo has several important historical sites. The Case Pedrazzini (Pedrazzini Houses) are listed as a national heritage site. So is the Oratory of S. Giovanni Battista. The Parish Church of S. Bernardo, with its Via Crucis (Stations of the Cross), is also a very important national heritage site.
The entire villages of Campo and Cimalmotto are recognized as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. This means they are important for their historical and cultural value.
Economy and Jobs
As of 2007, the unemployment rate in Campo was very low, at 1.19%. In 2005, 8 people worked in the primary economic sector, which mainly involves farming. There were 3 businesses in this sector.
Only 2 people worked in the tertiary sector, which includes services like hotels and restaurants. There was 1 business in this sector.
In 2008, there were 6 full-time jobs in Campo. Five of these jobs were in agriculture. One job was in a hotel or restaurant.
In 2000, 8 workers from Campo traveled outside the town for their jobs. About 33.3% of working people used a private car to get to work. As of 2009, there was one hotel in Campo, showing some tourism activity.
Religion
According to the 2000 census, most people in Campo are Roman Catholic (81.0%). About 8.6% belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. A small number of people (5.17%) did not belong to any church or were agnostic or atheist.
Education
Education is important in Campo. About 24.1% of the population has finished non-mandatory upper secondary education. This is like high school. Another 12.1% have completed higher education, such as university or a specialized college.
In 2009, there were 2 students living in Campo. The Ticino education system offers up to three years of non-mandatory kindergarten. However, in Campo, there were no children in kindergarten, primary school, or lower secondary school at that time.
Upper secondary school prepares students for a trade or for university. In Ticino, students can learn a trade while working (an internship or apprenticeship) or go to school first. In Campo, 1 student was attending a vocational program part-time. Another student was in a professional program, which prepares them for jobs in fields like engineering or tourism.
In 2000, 1 student from Campo went to school outside the town.
See also
In Spanish: Campo (Vallemaggia) para niños
