Moleno facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Moleno
Former municipality of Switzerland
Moleno village
Coat of arms
Moleno Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Moleno Location in Canton of Ticino Show map of Canton of Ticino
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Ticino
District	Bellinzona
Area
• Total	7.49 km2 (2.89 sq mi)
Elevation	270 m (890 ft)
Population  (December 2004)
• Total	110
• Density	14.7/km2 (38.0/sq mi)
Postal code	6524
Surrounded by	Cresciano, Lodrino, Preonzo

Moleno was once a small town, also known as a municipality, in the Bellinzona area of Ticino canton in Switzerland.

However, on April 2, 2017, Moleno and several other nearby towns joined together. They all became part of the larger city of Bellinzona.

History of Moleno

Moleno is a very old place. It was first written about in the year 1213. Later, in 1256, it was called a Rivo de Moline.

During the Middle Ages, a stream from the Moleno valley marked the southern edge of the Levantine valley. In 1335, Moleno became part of the Bellinzona region. By 1396, Moleno and the nearby town of Preonzo formed one village community.

From 1403 to 1422, Moleno was part of an area controlled by the Uri and Obwalden cantons. Even then, leaders recognized the local rules and rights of Moleno and Preonzo.

The main church in Moleno, called S. Vittore, was built in the 1200s. It was rebuilt in the 1400s. In 1542, it became its own separate church, no longer part of the church in Biasca. Moleno, Gnosca, and Preonzo were special because their churches followed a specific old church tradition called the Ambrosian Rite.

In the past, most people in Moleno worked in farming and raising animals. But by 2000, many people traveled to other towns like Biasca and Bellinzona for work.

Moleno's Geography

Moleno covers an area of about 7.49 square kilometers. A large part of this land, about 79.3%, is covered by forests. About 7.1% of the land is used for farming.

A small part, about 3.3%, has buildings or roads. Rivers and lakes make up about 1.9% of the area. The remaining 7.6% is land that cannot be used for farming or building.

Moleno is located in the Bellinzona district, right on its northern edge.

Clouds over the Moleno valley

Aerial view of Moleno in 1964

Moleno's Coat of Arms

Every town has a special symbol called a coat of arms. Moleno's coat of arms is blue. It shows a golden corn cob at the top. At the bottom, there is a silver millstone.

The millstone is a clue to the town's name. In Italian, "mulino" means "mill." This shows that mills were important to Moleno in the past.

People of Moleno

In 2008, Moleno had a population of 116 people. About 17% of these people were from other countries. Over ten years, from 1997 to 2007, the population grew by about 10.7%.

Most people in Moleno speak Italian. About 90.5% of the population spoke Italian in 2000. The next most common language was German, spoken by about 6.7% of the people. A small number, about 1.9%, spoke French.

In 2009, there were a few children under 9 years old (3.4%). Teenagers aged 10-19 made up about 12.1% of the population. Most adults were between 20 and 59 years old. There were also a good number of older people, with about 9.5% being 60-69 years old and 7.8% over 80.

Here is how Moleno's population has changed over time:

Moleno's Special Places

The whole village of Moleno is considered a special place. It is part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. This means it has important historical or cultural value.

Moleno's Economy

In 2007, Moleno had an unemployment rate of 6.25%. This means that about 6 out of every 100 people who wanted to work did not have a job.

In 2005, only a few people worked in Moleno itself. One person worked in farming, and two people worked in manufacturing (making things). One person worked in services (like shops or offices).

Most people who lived in Moleno actually worked outside the town. In 2000, 29 people traveled out of Moleno for work, while only 5 people traveled into Moleno for work. This means Moleno was a "net exporter" of workers. Most people (70.7%) used a private car to get to work, while a small number (7.3%) used public transportation.

Religion in Moleno

According to a survey in 2000, most people in Moleno were Roman Catholic, about 85.7%. A smaller group, about 6.7%, belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. A few people belonged to other churches or did not state their religion.

Education in Moleno

Many adults in Moleno have a good education. About 82.7% of people aged 25–64 have finished high school or gone on to higher education, like a university.

In 2009, there were 17 students living in Moleno.

• Two children were in kindergarten.
• Five students attended primary school, which lasts for five years.
• Five students were in middle school, which is part of the lower secondary education.

After middle school, students can choose different paths. Some go to vocational schools to learn a trade, while others prepare for university. In Moleno, two students were in full-time vocational school, and three were part-time.

In 2000, 17 students from Moleno went to schools in other towns.

See also

In Spanish: Moleno para niños