Gnosca facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gnosca
Former municipality of Switzerland
Coat of arms
Gnosca Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Gnosca Location in Canton of Ticino Show map of Canton of Ticino
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Ticino
District	Bellinzona
Area
• Total	7.5 km2 (2.9 sq mi)
Elevation	277 m (909 ft)
Population  (December 2004)
• Total	524
• Density	69.9/km2 (181.0/sq mi)
Postal code	6525
Surrounded by	Arbedo-Castione, Claro, Gorduno, Preonzo

Gnosca was once a municipality (like a town or village) in the Bellinzona area of Ticino canton in Switzerland.

St. John Church, Gnosca

On April 2, 2017, Gnosca joined several other nearby towns. These included Camorino, Claro, Giubiasco, Gorduno, Gudo, Moleno, Monte Carasso, Pianezzo, Preonzo, Sant'Antonio, and Sementina. They all became part of the larger municipality of Bellinzona.

History of Gnosca

Gnosca was first mentioned in old records in 1198. It was called Niosca back then. These records were from the cities of Como and Milan. We don't know much about any settlements that might have been there before this time.

In 1202, a special agreement gave the S. Giovanni church and the SS Maurizio e Carpoforo church in Gnosca Castle to Como. The parish church of St. Peter Martyr was also listed in the Milan diocese in the 1200s.

By 1335, Gnosca was known as a village in the Bellinzona area. For a while, the church in Gnosca was used for two different types of Christian services at the same time: the Ambrosian and Roman Rites.

Today, Gnosca is very close to the main part of Bellinzona. Over the past few decades, many new homes have been built there. This means it has changed from a quiet, rural village to a more developed area.

Geography of Gnosca

An aerial view of Gnosca in 1953

Gnosca covers an area of about 7.45 square kilometers (about 2.87 square miles). A large part of this land, about 77.3%, is covered by forests. About 11.9% of the land is used for farming.

A smaller part, about 5.6%, has buildings and roads. Rivers and lakes make up about 1.9% of the area. The remaining 3.1% is land that isn't used for farming or building.

Gnosca is located in the Bellinzona district. It sits on the right side of the Ticino river, right where the Riviera valley begins.

Gnosca's Coat of Arms

The blazon (description) of Gnosca's coat of arms is: Per fess Argent an Eagle displayed Sable and Gules a Cross Argent. This means the shield is divided into two parts. The top part is silver (Argent) with a black (Sable) eagle spreading its wings. The bottom part is red (Gules) with a silver (Argent) cross.

People of Gnosca (Demographics)

Gnosca has a population of about 670 people (as of 2008). Around 12.9% of these people are from other countries. Over ten years, from 1997 to 2007, the population grew by about 33.5%.

Most people in Gnosca speak Italian, about 94.4%. A smaller number speak German (1.8%) or French (1.4%).

In 2009, the age groups in Gnosca were:

• Children (0-9 years old): 13.9%
• Teenagers (10-19 years old): 9.9%
• Young adults (20-29 years old): 5.8%
• Adults (30-59 years old): 47.6%
• Seniors (60 years and older): 22.9%

In 2000, there were 202 homes in Gnosca, with about 2.5 people living in each home. Most buildings were single-family homes (82.7%).

Here's how the population of Gnosca has changed over time:

Gnosca's Economy

In 2007, Gnosca had a low unemployment rate of 2.28%. This means most people who wanted to work had jobs.

Here's how people were employed in 2005:

• Primary sector: 11 people worked in farming or related jobs. There were 5 businesses in this area.
• Secondary sector: 7 people worked in manufacturing or construction. There were 3 businesses in this area.
• Tertiary sector: 32 people worked in services, like shops or offices. There were 11 businesses in this area.

Many people who live in Gnosca travel to other towns for work. In 2000, 178 people left Gnosca for work, while only 17 people came into Gnosca to work. Most people (66.7%) used a private car to get to work.

Education in Gnosca

Switzerland has a very good education system. In Gnosca, about 75.1% of adults (aged 25-64) have finished high school or gone on to college or university.

As of 2009, there were 133 students in Gnosca.

• Kindergarten: 30 children attended kindergarten, which is not mandatory but helps prepare kids for school.
• Primary School: 50 students attended standard primary school, which lasts for five years.
• Lower Secondary School: Students here can choose different paths. Some go to a two-year middle school, while others go to a four-year program to prepare for higher education. There were 26 students in the two-year middle school program and 12 in the four-year program.
• Upper Secondary School: This level prepares students for jobs or university. There were 4 students in full-time vocational training and 8 in part-time vocational training. There were also 2 students in a professional program that prepares them for jobs in fields like engineering or nursing.

In 2000, 52 students from Gnosca went to schools outside the municipality.

See also

In Spanish: Gnosca para niños