Magadino facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Magadino
Former municipality of Switzerland
Magadino village church
Coat of arms
Magadino Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Magadino Location in Canton of Ticino Show map of Canton of Ticino
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Ticino
District	Locarno
Municipality	Gambarogno
Area
• Total	7.23 km2 (2.79 sq mi)
Elevation	196 m (643 ft)
Population
• Total	1,604
• Density	221.85/km2 (574.6/sq mi)
Postal code	6573
Surrounded by	Contone, Locarno, Minusio, Rivera, Tenero-Contra, Vira (Gambarogno)

Magadino (called Magadign in the local language, Lombard) was once a town in the Ticino area of Switzerland. It was part of the Locarno district.

On April 25, 2010, Magadino joined with eight other towns to form a new, larger town called Gambarogno. These towns were Caviano, Contone, Gerra Gambarogno, Indemini, Piazzogna, San Nazzaro, Sant'Abbondio, and Vira Gambarogno.

History of Magadino

Luserte in Quartino, a neighborhood in Magadino

Magadino was first mentioned in old writings in 1254. Back then, it was known as de Magadino. For a while, it was also called Megadin in German, but that name is not used anymore.

During the Middle Ages, the village was important. The Bishop of Como gave certain rights to the leaders of Locarno. These rights included collecting money from people passing through the area. This was like a toll fee. They collected these tolls until 1342.

The village of Quartino, a part of Magadino, had a Benedictine priory (a small monastery) from the 11th to the 16th century. This priory, dedicated to St. George, belonged to larger abbeys in Italy. Later, in the 1600s, the monastery's lands went to a hospital in Locarno.

Magadino, along with Quartino and Orgnana, was part of the church area of S. Pietro in Vira. But in 1846, Magadino became its own separate church area. The church of San Carlo, which you can still see today, was built between 1844 and 1846.

Old records from 1335 mention a tower in Magadino, but no one has ever found it. A story from the 1600s also talks about a castle built in 1365. It was ordered by Galeazzo Visconti for the people of Locarno. This castle was supposedly destroyed in 1518 by the Swiss.

Magadino as a Port Town

Magadino was once a very important port. It was a key stop for goods traveling from Lombardy (in Italy) north to the Alps. Its importance grew even more in 1515. This happened after a bridge over the Ticino river in Bellinzona collapsed.

In the 1800s, Magadino became even busier. Steamships started regular trips in 1826. Also, a new road over the Gotthard Pass opened in 1830. This made Magadino a popular stop for coaches and travelers. Many new warehouses, hotels, and restaurants were built. Some of these old buildings are still standing today.

However, Magadino's importance as a port began to fade. This happened when railway lines opened to Locarno in 1874 and to Luino in 1882. Trains became the main way to transport goods and people. From the 1880s until the 1960s, the town didn't grow much. By 2000, most people living in Magadino worked outside the village. In 2005, almost half of the jobs in Magadino were in the service industry.

Geography of Magadino

Magadino from the air

An aerial view of Magadino in 1933 by Walter Mittelholzer

Magadino covers an area of about 7.23 square kilometers (2.79 square miles). A large part of this land is covered by forests, making up about 58% of the area. About 31.5% of the land is used for farming.

Buildings and roads take up about 16.5% of the land. Rivers and lakes make up a small part, about 1.9%. The rest of the land, about 1.8%, is not used for farming or building.

Most of the built-up area is for homes and other buildings (8.0%). Roads and transportation take up 4.7%. Forests cover most of the wooded land (55.9%). For farming, 22.0% is used for crops.

Magadino is located in the Locarno district, right on the banks of the Riviera del Gambarogno. The town is home to a special nature preserve. This preserve includes the Bolle marsh, which is a wetland area between the mouths of the Verzasca and Ticino rivers.

The town of Magadino includes the main village and two smaller areas called hamlets: Quartino and Orgnana. The neighboring towns are Contone and Vira (Gambarogno).

Magadino's Coat of Arms

The coat of arms for Magadino shows a golden anchor on a background of six wavy blue and silver stripes. The wavy stripes represent water, and the anchor shows that Magadino was an important harbor on Lake Maggiore.

People of Magadino

Train line near Magadino

In December 2007, Magadino had a population of 1,604 people. About 21.2% of these people were not Swiss citizens. Over ten years (from 1997 to 2007), the population grew by about 5.9%.

Most people in Magadino speak Italian (82.0%). The second most common language is German (11.3%), and French is third (1.5%). In 2000, 1,229 people spoke Italian, 170 spoke German, and 23 spoke French. A small number of people (77) spoke other languages.

Population Changes

In 2008, there were 14 babies born to Swiss citizens and 6 babies born to non-Swiss citizens. In the same year, 11 Swiss citizens and 1 non-Swiss citizen passed away. This means the number of Swiss citizens increased by 3, and the number of foreign residents increased by 5.

Overall, the total population of Magadino grew by 2.4% in 2008.

Age Groups

In 2009, here's how the population of Magadino was divided by age:

• Children (0-9 years old): 9.8% (166 children)
• Teenagers (10-19 years old): 11.2% (189 teenagers)
• Young Adults (20-29 years old): 9.6% (162 people)
• Adults (30-39 years old): 14.1% (238 people)
• Adults (40-49 years old): 18.7% (316 people)
• Adults (50-59 years old): 13.2% (222 people)
• Seniors (60-69 years old): 10.4% (176 people)
• Seniors (70-79 years old): 7.9% (134 people)
• Seniors (over 80 years old): 5.0% (85 people)

Homes in Magadino

In 2000, there were 677 private homes in Magadino. On average, there were 2.2 people living in each home. Most of the buildings (73.2%) were single-family homes. There were also some two-family buildings (14.1%) and multi-family buildings (9.1%). A few buildings (25) were used for both living and business.

Most apartments in Magadino (62.4%) were lived in all the time. About 35.1% were used only for holidays or certain seasons. Only a small number (2.5%) were empty.

Historical Population

Here's how Magadino's population has changed over the years:

Important Buildings

Church of S. Carlo

Two important places in Magadino are listed as Swiss heritage sites. These are the Complesso di S. Carlo, which includes a church and a parish house, and the Villa Ghisler. These buildings are important parts of Switzerland's history and culture.

Economy and Jobs

In 2005, there were 32 people working in farming and related businesses in Magadino. About 455 people worked in manufacturing and construction. The largest group, 383 people, worked in the service industry (like hotels, shops, and offices).

In 2009, Magadino had 2 hotels, showing that tourism is part of its economy.

Religion

According to the 2000 census, most people in Magadino are Roman Catholic (79.0%). About 8.9% belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. A small number of people (9.07%) belong to other churches, and 3.00% did not state their religion.

Education

Switzerland has a good education system. In Magadino, about 70.3% of adults (aged 25 to 64) have finished high school or gone on to higher education, like university.

In 2009, there were 283 students in Magadino. The education system in Ticino (the canton Magadino is in) offers up to three years of kindergarten, which is not required. In Magadino, 38 children were in kindergarten.

The primary school program lasts for five years. In Magadino, 82 students attended regular primary schools, and 9 students went to a special school.

After primary school, students go to lower secondary school. They can either attend a two-year middle school (68 students) and then learn a trade, or they can join a four-year program (29 students) to get ready for university.

For upper secondary school, students prepare for a job or for college. Some students learn a trade while also going to school. In Magadino, 17 students were full-time vocational students, and 39 were part-time. There was also 1 student in a professional program, which prepares them for jobs in fields like engineering or nursing.

In 2000, 71 students from Magadino went to schools outside the village.

Climate

Magadino has a climate that is a mix of oceanic climate and humid subtropical climate. This means it has mild winters and warm, humid summers. Even though it's influenced by the land, the temperatures usually stay within a normal range. The average yearly temperature goes from about 33°C (91°F) to -9°C (16°F).

Magadino gets a lot of rain, about 1806 millimeters (71 inches) per year. This rain falls on about 101 days, often due to thunderstorms throughout the year.

See also

In Spanish: Magadino para niños