Orselina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Orselina
Coat of arms
Orselina Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Orselina Location in Canton of Ticino Show map of Canton of Ticino
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Ticino
District	Locarno
Area
• Total	1.94 km2 (0.75 sq mi)
Elevation	449 m (1,473 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	706
• Density	363.9/km2 (942.5/sq mi)
Postal code	6644
Surrounded by	Avegno, Locarno, Minusio, Muralto

Orselina is a small town, also called a municipality, located in the Locarno area of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. It sits on a hill above the town of Muralto, offering amazing views. Orselina is a popular place for holidays and tourism.

History of Orselina

Orselina from above (1953)

Orselina was first mentioned in old writings in 1182. Back then, it was known as Concilio Meziano. Later, in 1323, it was called Orsarina.

For many centuries, Orselina was part of a larger community called Consiglio Mezzano. This community also included Burbaglio and Muralto. They all belonged to the bigger region of Locarno and Ascona.

In the 12th century, a castle named SS Abbondio e Biagio was given to the Muralto family. This castle was sadly destroyed in the 14th century.

The modern municipality of Orselina was created in 1803. It even included Muralto at first. For a while, Orselina was more important because of its farms and vineyards. However, the two towns started to grow differently. Orselina stayed more traditional, while Muralto, being closer to the lake, became more industrial and city-like. Because of these differences, Orselina and Muralto split into two separate municipalities in 1881.

The Church of S. Bernardo was built in the 16th century. It was originally connected to a church in Muralto. In 1966, it became the main church for its own area, called a parish.

From the 1930s to the 1980s, more German-speaking people lived in Orselina than Italian-speaking people. But by 2000, this changed, and Italian speakers became the majority again. Since the early 1900s, Orselina has become a well-known place for holidays and tourism.

Geography of Orselina

Panoramic view of the church, Orselina and Lake Maggiore.

Orselina covers an area of about 1.94 square kilometers (0.75 square miles). A good part of this land, about 18%, is used for farming. A much larger part, about 74.7%, is covered by forests.

About 23.2% of the land has buildings or roads on it. A small amount, 1.5%, is land that cannot be used for anything, like very steep slopes.

The town is located in the Locarno district. It sits on a hill right above Muralto. Orselina includes the main village of Orselina and a smaller area called San Bernardo.

Orselina's Coat of Arms

The coat of arms for Orselina shows a red castle with battlements on a silver background. Between the castle's towers, there is a red fleur-de-lis.

People of Orselina

View of Orselina and Muralto at night

Orselina has a population of about 765 people. As of 2008, about 18% of the people living there were from other countries. Over the past 10 years, the population has changed a little, decreasing by about 3.2%.

Most people in Orselina speak Italian, making up about 53.1% of the population. The second most common language is German, spoken by about 36.7% of the people. A small number of people, about 2.7%, speak Dutch.

In 2008, there were slightly more women (53.1%) than men (46.9%) living in Orselina.

The age groups in Orselina, as of 2009, show that about 5.7% of the population are children aged 0-9. Teenagers aged 10-19 make up about 7%. The largest groups are adults aged 40-49 (15.9%) and 50-59 (16.1%). Many older people also live here, with about 18.4% aged 60-69 and 12.2% aged 70-79.

In 2000, there were 399 homes in Orselina, with an average of 1.8 people living in each home. Most of the buildings were single-family homes.

The population changes each year due to births, deaths, and people moving in or out. In 2008, the total population of Orselina decreased slightly.

Here is a table showing how the population of Orselina has changed over time:

Important Heritage Sites

Convent and church of Madonna del Sasso

Orselina is home to a very important cultural site called the Sacro Monte. This site includes the Church of Dell’Annunziata and the convent and church of Della Madonna del Sasso. These places are listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance. This means they are very important historical and cultural landmarks for the whole country.

Economy and Jobs

In 2007, the unemployment rate in Orselina was 2.82%. This means a small number of people who wanted jobs could not find them.

Most jobs in Orselina are in the service sector. This includes jobs like working in hotels, shops, or offices. In 2005, there were 439 people working in this sector. There were also a few jobs in farming (primary sector) and manufacturing (secondary sector).

Many people who live in Orselina travel to other towns for work. However, more people come into Orselina to work than leave it. About 9.7% of the workers who come into Orselina are from outside Switzerland.

Most people get to work by private car (50.5%), while some use public transportation (6%). As of 2009, there were 2 hotels in Orselina, showing its importance as a tourist spot.

Religion

Church of Orselina

According to the 2000 census, most people in Orselina are Roman Catholic, making up about 61.9% of the population. About 22.5% of the people belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. A smaller number of people belong to other churches or did not state their religion.

Education

In Orselina, many adults (between 25 and 64 years old) have completed higher education. About 80.1% have finished either upper secondary school or gone on to university or a specialized college.

As of 2009, there were 82 students in Orselina. The education system in Ticino offers different levels of schooling:

• Kindergarten: There were 8 children in non-mandatory kindergarten.
• Primary School: This program lasts for five years. 30 students attended standard primary schools, and 1 student attended a special school.
• Lower Secondary School: Students can choose between a two-year middle school followed by a two-year pre-apprenticeship, or a four-year program to prepare for higher education. In 2009, 23 students were in middle school, 2 in pre-apprenticeship, and 7 in the advanced program.
• Upper Secondary School: This prepares students for a trade or university. In 2010, 7 students were full-time vocational students, and 3 were part-time.
• Professional Program: This three-year program prepares students for jobs in fields like engineering or nursing. There was 1 student in this program.

In 2000, 6 students came to Orselina for school from other towns, while 71 students from Orselina went to schools outside the municipality.

Notable People

• Ottorino Volonterio (1917–2003) – a famous racing car driver.

See also

In Spanish: Orselina para niños