Dalpe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dalpe
Pizzo Campo Tencia (middle) above Dalpe
Coat of arms
Dalpe Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Dalpe Location in Canton of Ticino Show map of Canton of Ticino
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Ticino
District	Leventina
Area
• Total	14.55 km2 (5.62 sq mi)
Elevation	1,192 m (3,911 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	174
• Density	11.96/km2 (30.97/sq mi)
Postal code	6774
Surrounded by	Chironico, Faido, Lavizzara, Mairengo, Osco, Prato (Leventina)

Dalpe is a small municipality located in the Leventina district. It is part of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. This charming village sits on a high terrace, offering beautiful views.

History of Dalpe

Early Times and First Mentions

Long ago, around 500 BC, people lived in the Dalpe area. A small cemetery from the ancient Golasecca culture was found here. This shows that people have called Dalpe home for a very long time.

The village of Dalpe was first written about in the year 1217. Back then, it was known as Albe. In the 1200s, an important trade route, the Gotthard route, passed nearby. It went through Faido to Cornon and Prato.

Dalpe and Cornon were part of a larger community called a Vicinanza (a type of local group) centered in Prato.

Churches and Independence

The first mention of a church in Dalpe dates back to 1338. Another church in Cornon was built in the late 1400s. In 1640, Dalpe became its own independent church area, separate from Prato. The main church, called SS Bernardo e Carlo, was built in 1661.

Modern Changes and Growth

In 1866, Dalpe officially became its own civil parish, no longer part of Prato. In the late 1800s, many people moved away from Dalpe, especially to France, so the population dropped a lot.

However, things started to change between 1941 and 1960. A construction company opened in Dalpe, which brought more jobs and people. In 1957, new roads were built, making Dalpe easier to reach. This helped the village become a popular summer spot, and many people built vacation homes there. The very first road to the village opened in 1904.

A marble quarry opened in 1940, but it closed soon after because of the war. For many centuries, raising cattle was the main way people earned money in Dalpe. Today, only a few families still do this. In 1998, the municipality started building a small power plant that uses water from the Piumogna river to make electricity.

Geography of Dalpe

An aerial view of the area around Dalpe (1954)

Dalpe covers an area of about 14.5 square kilometers (about 5.6 square miles). Much of this land is covered by forests, making up about 46.6% of the area. About 6.7% of the land is used for farming.

A small part, about 1.5%, has buildings and roads. Rivers and lakes make up about 1.2% of the area. The rest, about 31.5%, is unproductive land, meaning it's too rocky or has too little vegetation to be used for farming or building.

The village of Dalpe is located in the Leventina district. It sits on a high flat area, or terrace, about 1,192 meters (3,911 feet) above sea level. The municipality includes the main village of Dalpe and the smaller settlement of Cornone.

Dalpe's Coat of Arms

The design of Dalpe's coat of arms is a white shield with a red cross. In the top left corner, there's a red letter "D". The whole design has a gold border.

This coat of arms is similar to the one for the Leventina district, but with different colors and the letter "D" instead of a hand. The white background of the shield is a nod to the village's old name, Albe, which comes from the Latin word Albus, meaning "white".

People of Dalpe (Demographics)

Population and Languages

As of 2022, Dalpe has a population of 171 people. About 8.5% of the people living in Dalpe are from other countries. Over the last ten years (1997–2007), the population has stayed about the same.

Most people in Dalpe speak Italian, which is spoken by 96.8% of the population. German is the second most common language, spoken by 1.3% of residents. A small number of people, 0.6%, speak French.

Age Groups

The population of Dalpe includes people of all ages.

• About 5.5% of the population are children aged 0 to 9 years old.
• Another 6.6% are teenagers aged 10 to 19.
• Adults aged 20 to 59 make up about 55.2% of the population.
• Seniors, aged 60 and above, make up about 32.6% of the population.

Homes and Buildings

In 2000, there were 70 private households in Dalpe, with an average of 2.2 people living in each home. Most of the buildings (80.3%) were single-family homes. There were also some two-family buildings and multi-family buildings.

Many apartments in Dalpe are used seasonally, meaning people live in them during certain times of the year, like for holidays. In 2000, about 73.7% of apartments were seasonally occupied, while 25.2% were lived in all year round.

Historical Population Trends

The population of Dalpe has changed quite a bit over the centuries:

Economy of Dalpe

Jobs and Businesses

In 2007, Dalpe had a low unemployment rate of 1.67%. This means most people who wanted to work had jobs.

In 2005, there were 13 people working in the primary sector, which includes jobs like farming and forestry. There were 4 businesses in this area.

The secondary sector, which includes manufacturing and construction, employed 42 people with 1 business.

The tertiary sector, which covers services like shops and hotels, employed 8 people with 5 businesses.

Overall, 78 residents of Dalpe had jobs, and about 34.6% of these workers were women.

Commuting and Transportation

In 2000, 36 workers traveled into Dalpe for their jobs, while 33 workers traveled out of Dalpe to work elsewhere. This means Dalpe had slightly more people coming in for work than leaving.

About 6.4% of working people used public transportation to get to their jobs, while 56.4% used a private car. As of 2009, Dalpe had one hotel, which is important for tourism.

Religion in Dalpe

According to the 2000 census, most people in Dalpe are Roman Catholic, making up about 91.8% of the population. A small number, 1.3%, belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. About 5.7% of the population belong to other churches, and a very small number did not answer the question about their religion.

Education in Dalpe

Schooling Levels

In Dalpe, many adults (about 70.6% of those aged 25 to 64) have completed higher education. This means they have gone beyond basic schooling, either to a university or a specialized college.

Student Numbers (2009)

In 2009, there were a total of 17 students in Dalpe.

• Kindergarten: The Ticino education system offers up to three years of non-mandatory kindergarten. In Dalpe, 1 child was in kindergarten.
• Primary School: The primary school program lasts for five years. In Dalpe, 3 students attended standard primary schools.
• Lower Secondary School: Students can choose different paths here. In Dalpe, 5 students were in the two-year middle school program, and 2 students were in a four-year program that prepares them for higher education.
• Upper Secondary School: This level prepares students for a trade or for university. In Dalpe, 4 students were in full-time vocational training, and 1 student was in part-time vocational training.
• Professional Program: This three-year program prepares students for specific jobs like engineering or nursing. In Dalpe, 1 student was in this program.

See also

In Spanish: Dalpe para niños