Porza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Porza
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 Porza
Location in Switzerland
Porza
Location in Canton of Ticino
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Ticino | |
| District | Lugano | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 1.56 km2 (0.60 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 483 m (1,585 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 1,547 | |
| • Density | 992/km2 (2,568/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
6948
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| Surrounded by | Canobbio, Comano, Cureglia, Lugano, Savosa, Vezia | |
Porza is a small town, also called a municipality, located in the Lugano area of Ticino, a canton in Switzerland.
Contents
History of Porza
Porza was first mentioned in old records around the years 1297 to 1299. Its name was written as Porza.
Between 1907 and 1908, some old graves were found here. These graves were from the Iron Age, a time long ago when people used iron tools. They contained ashes and items buried with the dead.
During the Middle Ages, a religious group called the Benedictine monks owned land in Porza. Their abbey, or monastery, was called San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro.
On a hill near Porza, there was once a castle called Trevano. It was likely built in the 1100s by the Bishop of Como. Over time, different families owned the castle.
In 1871, a beautiful villa was built on the castle's old foundations. During the Belle Époque (a time of peace and prosperity), rich and famous people gathered here. Musicians from all over Europe came to perform concerts.
The local government bought the villa in 1934. It was taken down in 1961. A school was built in its place, which is now part of a university called the Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana.
Porza's church was part of the S. Lorenzo church in Lugano until 1468. Later, it joined the Comano church. In 1647, Porza got its own independent church. The Church of SS. Bernardino e Martino was built in the 1500s and was fixed up in 1974.
Long ago, people in Porza mostly worked in farming. Many skilled workers also left Porza to work in other countries. Today, Porza is a residential community. This means many people live here but travel to nearby Lugano for work.
Since the 1960s, many people from other countries and other parts of Switzerland have moved to Porza. In the valley along the Cassarate river, new businesses and factories have opened. A skating rink was built in Resega, near the river, between 1992 and 1995. In 2000, about three-quarters of the people working in Porza traveled there from other places.
Geography of Porza
Porza covers an area of about 1.58 square kilometers (0.61 square miles). A large part of this land, about 43%, is used for farming. Another 41.8% is covered by forests.
About 43% of Porza's land is developed with buildings and roads. A small part, less than 2%, is unproductive land, meaning it's not used for farming or buildings.
Most of the built-up area is for homes and buildings (29.1%). Roads and transportation take up 8.2%. Some areas are for industrial buildings or special uses.
The forests are mostly dense woods. Some small areas have orchards or groups of trees. For farming, people grow crops on 10.8% of the land. They also have orchards or vineyards, and use land for pastures where animals graze.
Porza is located in the Lugano district, just northwest of the city of Lugano. It includes the main village of Porza. It also has smaller areas called hamlets like Vira, Trevano, and Belvedere, which are on the hills. Cornaredo and Resega are hamlets located in the valley.
Porza's Coat of Arms
The design of Porza's municipal coat of arms is quite simple. It shows a bright yellow sun on a blue background. Below the sun, there is a yellow jagged line, like mountains or hills.
Population and People
Porza has a population of about 1,515 people (as of 2022). In 2008, about 19.4% of the people living in Porza were foreign nationals. Over ten years, from 1997 to 2007, the population grew by about 10.8%.
Most people in Porza speak Italian, which is 83.2% of the population. The next most common language is German, spoken by 10.1% of residents. A smaller number, 2.2%, speak French.
In 2008, there were slightly more women (50.8%) than men (49.2%) living in Porza. The population included Swiss men, non-Swiss men, Swiss women, and non-Swiss women.
In 2008, 18 babies were born to Swiss parents and 2 to non-Swiss parents. There were 4 deaths of Swiss citizens and 1 non-Swiss citizen death. This means the number of Swiss citizens increased by 14, and the foreign population increased by 1, not counting people moving in or out.
The age groups in Porza (as of 2009) show that about 10.4% of the population are children aged 0-9. Teenagers aged 10-19 make up 10.8%. Adults aged 20-59 make up a larger part of the population. Older adults aged 60 and above make up about 22.5% of the population.
In 2000, there were 586 homes in Porza, with about 2.3 people living in each home on average. Most of the buildings were single-family homes (64.7%). There were also some two-family buildings and multi-family buildings.
Most apartments in Porza are lived in all the time (84.4%). Some are used only during certain seasons (14.2%), and a very small number are empty (1.4%).
Economy of Porza
In 2007, Porza had a low unemployment rate of 2.63%. This means most people who wanted to work had jobs.
In 2005, a small number of people worked in the primary economic sector. This sector includes jobs like farming. There were only 2 businesses in this area.
More people, 154, worked in the secondary sector. This includes jobs in manufacturing and construction. There were 15 businesses in this sector.
The largest number of people, 585, worked in the tertiary sector. This sector includes jobs in services, like shops, offices, and healthcare. There were 56 businesses in this area.
In 2000, many people traveled into Porza for work (352 workers). Even more people traveled out of Porza to work in other places (570 workers). This shows that Porza is a place where people live and then commute to jobs elsewhere.
About 8.2% of workers used public transportation to get to work. Most people, 69.9%, used a private car.
Religion in Porza
Based on the 2000 census, most people in Porza are Roman Catholic, making up 79.1% of the population. About 8.5% belong to the Swiss Reformed Church.
A smaller group, about 10.09%, belong to other churches not listed in the main census categories. About 2.30% of the population did not answer the question about their religion.
Education in Porza
Education is important in Porza. About 80.1% of adults aged 25 to 64 have completed either high school or higher education, like university.
In 2009, there were 262 students in Porza. The education system in Ticino offers up to three years of non-mandatory kindergarten. In Porza, 31 children were in kindergarten.
The primary school program lasts for five years. There were 87 students attending primary schools in the municipality.
For middle school, students can choose different paths. Some go to a two-year middle school and then a two-year pre-apprenticeship program. Others attend a four-year program to prepare for university. In Porza, 71 students were in the two-year middle school, and 45 were in the four-year advanced program.
After middle school, students can go to upper secondary school. This prepares them for a trade job or for university. In Ticino, students can learn a trade while working or by going to school full-time. There were 12 full-time and 13 part-time vocational students in Porza.
There is also a professional program that lasts three years. This program prepares students for jobs in fields like engineering, nursing, or business. In Porza, 3 students were in this program.
In 2000, 12 students came to Porza from other towns for school. However, 180 students from Porza went to schools outside the municipality.
Notable Residents
Clay Regazzoni, a famous race car driver, was born in Porza.
See also
In Spanish: Porza para niños
Images for kids
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A view of Porza in 1975.
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The coat of arms for Porza.
