Lavertezzo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lavertezzo
Coat of arms
Lavertezzo Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Lavertezzo Location in Canton of Ticino Show map of Canton of Ticino
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Ticino
District	Locarno
Area
• Total	58.17 km2 (22.46 sq mi)
Elevation	536 m (1,759 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	1,245
• Density	21.403/km2 (55.433/sq mi)
Postal code	6595
Surrounded by	Brione (Verzasca), Corippo, Cugnasco, Frasco, Gerra (Verzasca), Gordevio, Gordola, Iragna, Locarno, Lodrino, Personico, Preonzo, Vogorno

Lavertezzo is a small town, also called a municipality, located in the Locarno area of Ticino, a canton in Switzerland. It's known for its beautiful natural surroundings, especially the clear waters of the Verzasca river.

History of Lavertezzo

Double arch stone bridge at Ponte dei Salti

Lavertezzo was first mentioned in records way back in 1327. For many centuries, people living here would move with their animals. They spent summers in the Verzasca valley and winters in lower valleys. This practice is called transhumance.

The local church, called Madonna degli Angeli, was built in the 1700s. Lavertezzo became its own church area in the 1500s. Before that, it was part of Vogorno.

A famous double-arch stone bridge was built in the 1600s. It is one of the most recognizable sights in the village. In the past, people mainly earned a living through farming and raising animals. Some people also moved to Italy, especially Palermo, to find work. Later, in 1873, people started to mine granite from quarries in Lavertezzo. More recently, the area of Riazzino has grown into a place for shopping and fun.

Geography of Lavertezzo

Verzasca river

Aerial view (1946)

Lavertezzo covers an area of about 58 square kilometers (22 square miles). A large part of this land, about half, is covered by forests. Only a small amount, about 1.2%, is used for farming. Less than 1% of the land has buildings or roads. A significant portion, almost 40%, is unproductive land, like rocky areas.

The town is located in the Locarno district. It includes the main village of Lavertezzo in the Verzasca valley. This valley has smaller areas like Aquino, Rancone, and Sambugaro. Lavertezzo also has a separate part called Lavertezzo Piano. This area is in the Magadino valley and includes Riazzino, Montedato, and Bugaro.

Coat of Arms

The coat of arms for Lavertezzo shows a pelican feeding its young. This symbol comes from the family crest of Bishop Aurelio Bacciarini.

Population and People

Motta hamlet, one of the small villages along the Verzasca river

Lavertezzo has a population of about 1,161 people. A small part of the population, about 23.6%, are people from other countries. Over the last ten years, the number of people living here has grown by about 15%.

Most people in Lavertezzo speak Italian, which is about 82.6% of the population. The second most common language is German, spoken by about 9.2% of the people. A smaller group, about 2.6%, speak Serbian or Croatian language.

The population is quite balanced between males and females. About 49.7% are male and 50.3% are female.

The age groups in Lavertezzo show a mix of people. About 10.9% of the population are children aged 0-9 years old. Teenagers aged 10-19 make up about 10.4%. Adults aged 20-59 make up the largest part of the population, about 57.7%. Older adults, aged 60 and above, make up about 21% of the population.

In 2000, there were 450 homes in Lavertezzo, with an average of 2.4 people living in each home. Most of the buildings were single-family homes.

Here's how the population has changed over time:

Important Sights

The entire village of Lavertezzo is recognized as an important Swiss Heritage Site. This means it has special cultural and historical value.

Economy and Jobs

In 2005, about 27 people worked in farming and related businesses. A larger number, 344 people, worked in manufacturing and construction. The biggest group, 228 people, worked in service jobs like shops, hotels, and offices.

Many people who live in Lavertezzo travel to other towns for work. Also, many people from outside Lavertezzo come into the town to work. About 40% of the workers coming into Lavertezzo are from other countries. Most people, about 67.9%, use a private car to get to work. About 8.2% use public transportation.

In 2009, Lavertezzo had two hotels, which are important for tourism.

Religion in Lavertezzo

Church tower of the Church of Lavertezzo

Based on a 2000 survey, most people in Lavertezzo are Roman Catholic, about 76.5%. About 10.8% belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. A small number of people belong to other churches or did not share their religion.

Education

Switzerland generally has a very good education system. In Lavertezzo, many adults have completed higher education. This means they have gone to college or a special technical school.

In 2009, there were 221 students in Lavertezzo.

• There were 44 children in kindergarten.
• For primary school, which lasts five years, there were 74 students in regular schools and 3 in special schools.
• In middle school, students can choose different paths. There were 50 students in a two-year middle school program. Another 6 students were in a four-year program that prepares them for higher education.
• For high school, students can prepare for a trade or for university. There were 15 students in full-time vocational training and 28 in part-time training.
• One student was in a professional program, which prepares students for jobs in fields like engineering or nursing.

In 2000, 99 students from Lavertezzo went to schools in other towns.

See also

In Spanish: Lavertezzo para niños