Quinto, Ticino facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Quinto
Coat of arms
Quinto Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Quinto Location in Canton of Ticino Show map of Canton of Ticino
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Ticino
District	Leventina
Area
• Total	75.21 km2 (29.04 sq mi)
Elevation	1,011 m (3,317 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	995
• Density	13.230/km2 (34.265/sq mi)
Postal code	6777
Localities	Altanca, Ambrì, Catto, Deggio, Lurengo, Piora, Piotta, Ronco, Scruengo, Varenzo
Surrounded by	Airolo, Lavizzara, Medel (Lucmagn) (GR), Olivone, Osco, Prato (Leventina), Tujetsch (GR)

Quinto is a small town in the Ticino region of Switzerland. It's located in the Leventina district. Quinto is known for its beautiful mountain views and its connection to ice hockey.

History of Quinto

Funicular to Lago Ritom

People have lived in the valley around Quinto for a very long time. An old grave from the early Iron Age was found here. The town of Quinto itself was first mentioned in records in 1227.

Long ago, local groups called Vicinanza managed the area. They owned mountain pastures, especially on Alp Piora. They also had the right to provide donkeys and mules for carrying goods over the mountain passes.

Quinto used to be part of a larger church area called Biasca. But it became its own separate church area before the 12th century. The main church, SS Peter and Paul, was first mentioned in 1227. It was built between the 8th and 9th centuries and rebuilt in 1681.

The people of Quinto mostly worked in farming, forestry, and making dairy products like cheese. In 1896, the first dairy cooperative opened. This helped the local farmers.

Big changes came with new transportation. The Gotthard Railway opened in 1882, bringing more people and goods. Later, the A2 motorway was built in 1982-83. These helped Quinto grow.

From 1905 to 1962, a special hospital for lung diseases operated in Piotta. The military also had an airfield in Ambrì from 1940 to 1994. In 1920, the Lago Ritom power station started working. It uses water from the lake to make electricity for the Swiss Federal Railways. A very steep funicular railway goes up to the lake and its dam.

Even though Quinto's economy slowed down in the 1950s-70s, some important industries stayed active. These included metalwork, electronics, and woodworking. Since the 1980s, the town's population has been getting smaller.

The HC Ambrì-Piotta hockey team was started in 1937. It's a big part of the local economy and community. Since 1989, Quinto has also been home to the Center for Alpine Biology on Alp Piora. Alp Piora is also a popular place for tourists and is famous for its cheese.

Geography of Quinto

Upper Leventina valley

Quinto covers an area of about 75.2 square kilometers (29 square miles). A small part, about 5.4%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 27% of the land. Buildings and roads take up about 2.6%. Rivers and lakes make up about 3.6%. The rest, about 37%, is unproductive land, like rocky areas or high mountains.

The town is located in the Leventina district. It sits on both sides of the upper Leventina valley. The land goes from the valley floor, at about 1,011 meters (3,317 feet) high, all the way up to mountain peaks over 2,800 meters (9,186 feet).

Quinto includes the main village of Quinto and other smaller villages. These are Altanca, Ambrì, Catto, Deggio, Piotta, and Varenzo. There are talks about Quinto possibly joining with the nearby town of Airolo in the future. The new town would be called Airolo-Quinto.

Quinto's Coat of Arms

The coat of arms for Quinto is red with three silver stripes. At the top, it has the letters "QV" in red.

People of Quinto (Demographics)

Quinto has a population of about 1,055 people (as of December 2007). About 18.1% of the people living in Quinto are from other countries. Over the last 10 years, the population has decreased by about 11%.

Most people in Quinto speak Italian, which is 91.5% of the population. The second most common language is Serbo-Croatian (4.4%), followed by German (2.2%).

In 2000, there were 433 households in Quinto. On average, there were 2.4 people living in each home. Most of the buildings (79.1%) were single-family homes.

The historical population of Quinto is shown in this table:

Sports in Quinto

The famous Swiss ice hockey team, HC Ambrì-Piotta, is based in Quinto. They play an important role in the local community.

Important Heritage Sites

The Parish Church of SS. Pietro e Paolo in Quinto is a very important historical site in Switzerland. It's listed as a heritage site of national significance. The villages of Altanca, Piotta, Quinto, and Ronco are also recognized for their historical importance.

Economy of Quinto

In 2007, Quinto had an unemployment rate of 2.72%. This means a small number of people who wanted to work couldn't find jobs.

Most jobs in Quinto are in the service industry. This includes things like tourism, shops, and other services. About 326 people work in this sector. There are also jobs in the primary sector (like farming and forestry) and the secondary sector (like manufacturing).

In 2009, Quinto had 4 hotels with a total of 87 rooms and 189 beds, showing its role in tourism.

Religion in Quinto

According to the 2000 census, most people in Quinto are Roman Catholic, making up about 84.8% of the population. A smaller number, about 1.4%, belong to the Swiss Reformed Church.

Climate in Quinto

Quinto experiences a varied climate. Between 1991 and 2020, it had about 110.8 days of rain or snow each year. On average, it received 1,456 millimeters (57.3 inches) of precipitation annually. The wettest months are usually August and October. The driest month is February.

Education in Quinto

In Quinto, many adults (aged 25-64) have completed higher education. This means they went to a university or a special college after high school.

The education system in Ticino, where Quinto is located, offers different levels of schooling.

• Kindergarten: Children can attend up to three years of non-mandatory kindergarten. In 2009, 19 children were in kindergarten in Quinto.
• Primary School: This program lasts for five years. In Quinto, 51 students attended standard primary schools.
• Lower Secondary School: After primary school, students can choose different paths. Some go to a two-year middle school. Others attend a four-year program to prepare for higher education.
• Upper Secondary School: This level prepares students for a job or for university. Students can do vocational training, which combines school with internships or apprenticeships.
• Professional Programs: These three-year programs train students for specific jobs like engineering or nursing.

Transportation in Quinto

Quinto has a railway station called Ambrì-Piotta station. It's on the Gotthard railway line. While train service is not very frequent, there are regular PostBus services. These buses connect Quinto to other towns like Bellinzona and Airolo.

The town is also home to Ambri Airport. This airport is used for smaller, private planes. For tourists, the Ritom funicular is a fun way to get up the mountainside. It takes visitors to Ritom Lake and other beautiful spots.

See also

In Spanish: Quinto (Tesino) para niños