Loco, Switzerland facts for kids

Loco is a small village in Switzerland, located in an area called canton of Ticino. For many years, Loco was its own town, but things changed. In 2001, Loco joined with two nearby towns, Auressio and Berzona, to create a bigger town called Isorno. Later, in 2016, Isorno (which included Loco) became part of an even larger municipality called Onsernone. So, Loco is now a part of the bigger Onsernone area.

A Look Back at Loco's Past

Loco has a long history! It was first mentioned way back in 1224. People sometimes called it Luogo too.

This village also included smaller areas called hamlets, like Niva and Rossa. From the Middle Ages until the late 1700s, Loco was the main town of the old Onsernone valley community.

Important Buildings and Places

The main church in Loco is called San Remigio. It was the most important church in the valley and the center of the Onsernone valley area. It was first mentioned in 1228, but it might be even older! In the early 1500s, the church was rebuilt and got its current bell tower. Inside, there's a special chapel with an old, respected cross relic. You can also see a painting of the Last Supper from 1683 by a Flemish artist named Godefridus Maes.

In the hamlet of Niva, there's a beautiful old chapel called St. John Nepomuk. Another chapel in Sassello, built in the late 1600s, is dedicated to the Madonna of Re.

Loco's Crafty History

In the 1800s, Loco became a hub for straw braiding. People would braid straw to make hats, bags, and other cool items. The straw used for these crafts came from other villages in the Onsernone valley.

Besides the typical houses with balconies, Loco also has some fancy old mansions. One example is the Casa Broggini in Rossa, built in 1708.

Education and Culture in Loco

Loco is an important place for the community today. The main primary school for the area is located here. You can also visit the Onsernonese Museum, which opened in 1966, to learn more about the valley's history. There's even a renovated retirement home for the elderly.

Near Loco, you can find a restored mill with an exhibit about how grain was milled in the past. The Casa Schira, a building from the 1800s now owned by the community, has a small public library and a place for visitors to stay.

At the start of the 2000s, most people living in Loco traveled to Locarno for work.

How Loco's Population Changed

The table below shows how the number of people living in Loco has changed over many years:

Images for kids

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  Chapel of St. John Nepomuk

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  Mill of Loco

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  Aerial view of Loco (1963)