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Formazza

Púmâtt  (Walser)
Comune di Formazza
Mountains in Formazza
Mountains in Formazza
Coat of arms of Formazza
Coat of arms
Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Province Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola (VB)
Frazioni Foppiano, Antillone, Fondovalle, Chiesa, Valdo, San Michele, Ponte (communal seat), Brendo, Grovella, Canza, Sotto Frua, La Frua, Riale
Area
 • Total 130.65 km2 (50.44 sq mi)
Elevation
1,280 m (4,200 ft)
Population
 (30 June 2017)
 • Total 438
 • Density 3.352/km2 (8.683/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Formazzini
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
28030
Dialing code 0324

Formazza (Walser: Púmâtt; Ossolano: Formassa; German: Pomatt) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 160 kilometres (99 mi) northeast of Turin and about 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Verbania, on the border with Switzerland.

Formazza borders the following municipalities: Baceno, Bedretto (Switzerland), Bignasco (Switzerland), Binn (Switzerland), Bosco/Gurin (Switzerland), Cavergno (Switzerland), Premia, Reckingen-Gluringen (Switzerland), Ulrichen (Switzerland).

The village was founded by Walser and Walser German is still spoken.

Historical population
Year Pop. ±%
1861 656 —    
1871 683 +4.1%
1881 654 −4.2%
1901 515 −21.3%
1911 499 −3.1%
1921 517 +3.6%
1931 659 +27.5%
1936 748 +13.5%
1951 732 −2.1%
1961 648 −11.5%
1971 577 −11.0%
1981 547 −5.2%
1991 461 −15.7%
2001 448 −2.8%
2011 442 −1.3%
Source: ISTAT 2012

Geography and climate

Formazza Ponte
View of Ponte in Formazza.

The village is situated about an elevation of 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) above sea level on the Formazza plateau in Formazza valley. Its altitude and location directly under the high mountains of the western Alps influences the climate. In fact, there is an average of more than one meter and thirty centimeters of precipitation per year (especially snow). The climate is the type Dfb/Dfc (Köppen climate classification), which means it is a humid continental climate with fresh and short summers (but usually there is no dry season). The annual average temperature at one local weather station is about 4 °C (39 °F) and usually the coldest month (January) has a daily mean temperature of about −4 °C (25 °F). The lowest values can reach about −20 °C (−4 °F). The hottest month (July) has an average temperature of about 13 °C (55 °F) and the summer lasts less than three months.

Frazioni

Frazioni, or subdivisions of Formazza (first name in Italian, second name in Walser):

  • Antillone / Puneigä
  • Brendo / In dä Brendu
  • Canza / Früttwald - Früduwald
  • Chiesa - Alla Chiesa / Zer Chilchu - Andermatten - An där Mattu - In där Mattu
  • Fondovalle / Stafelwald - Schtaafuwaald
  • Foppiano / Untermstalden - Unnerum Schtaldä
  • Frua / Uf der Frütt
  • Sotto Frua / Unter der Frütt
  • Grovella / Gurfelen - Gurfelä
  • Morasco / Moraschg
  • Ponte - Al Ponte / Zum Steg - Zumstäg - Zumschtäg - Zer Briggu
  • Riale / Kehrbäch(i) - Cherbäch
  • Valdo / Wald - Waald
  • San Michele / Tuffwaald - Tuffalt

People

  • Mario Bacher (b. 1941), ski mountaineer and cross-country skier
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