Serravalle, Switzerland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Serravalle
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Malvaglia village in Serravalle
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 Serravalle
Location in Switzerland
Serravalle
Location in Canton of Ticino
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Ticino | |
| District | Blenio | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 96.8 km2 (37.4 sq mi) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 2,079 | |
| • Density | 21.477/km2 (55.63/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
6713, 6714, 6721
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| Surrounded by | Acquarossa, Biasca, Bodio, Blenio, Hinterrhein (GR), Mesocco (GR), Rossa (GR), Sobrio | |
Serravalle is a town in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland. It is located in the Blenio district. Serravalle was created on April 1, 2012. It was formed by combining three smaller towns: Malvaglia, Semione, and Ludiano.
Contents
History of Serravalle's Villages
Ludiano's Past
In 1926, archaeologists found an ancient grave in Ludiano. It contained items from the Iron Age, showing people lived there long ago. The town of Ludiano was first mentioned in records in 1211. It was known as Luguilano back then. In 1351, it was an important center for nearby farms and villages.
The main church, called S. Secondo, was first mentioned in 1293. It was rebuilt between 1779 and 1782. However, its old Romanesque clock tower was kept.
In the past, people in Ludiano made money from farming. They grew crops, raised animals, and had vineyards. Many people also moved to other European countries. They sent money back home, which helped their families. After a drop in population in the mid-1800s, the number of people grew again. This led to many new homes being built. By 2000, about half the jobs were in factories. About one-fifth of jobs were in services, like shops or offices. Most working people traveled outside the town for their jobs.
Malvaglia's Story
Malvaglia was first written about in 1205 as de Malvallia. Its history is closely linked to the Blenio valley. In a place called Rongier, a very old town on the Lukmanier Pass road, Roman coins were found. This shows it was an important area long ago.
Malvaglia is also home to the Casa Baggio. This old house was built in the 1500s and made bigger in the 1600s. It was likely where the local ruler, called a bailiff, lived. Today, it is a protected historic building. Above the village, you can find the remains of Casa dei pagani. This was a cave castle used between the 11th and 13th centuries.
The original church was for St. Benedict and mentioned in 1207. The current church, dedicated to St. Martin, was built from 1602 to 1603. But its bell tower is much older, from the 1200s.
The local economy mostly relied on farming and raising animals. Many people also left Malvaglia. In the 1800s, they went to Italy. In the 19th and 20th centuries, they moved to France, England, and America. This caused the population to shrink a lot.
From 1933 to 1959, the first cable car in the Canton operated here. It connected Malvaglia to Ponterio. In 1995, a new cable car opened on Mount Dagro. A road was built into the Malvaglia Valley in the 1940s. This was for building a dam. A road that goes around the village opened in 1976. By 2000, many workers were in manufacturing or services. More than half of them worked outside the town.
Geography and Land Use
Serravalle covers an area of about 96.8 km2 (37.37 sq mi). About 12.4% of this land is used for farming. This includes orchards, vineyards, fields, and grazing areas for animals. A large part, 47.2%, is covered by forests.
About 1.8% of the land has buildings or roads. The remaining 38.6% is unproductive land. This means it's not used for farming or buildings. It might be mountains, rocks, or glaciers. Rivers and lakes cover about 120 ha (300 acres) of the town's area.
Population and People
Serravalle has a population of 2,079 people. As of 2015, about 8.4% of the people living there were foreign nationals. The population has grown by about 4.17% between 2010 and 2015. In 2015, the birth rate was 6.3 births per thousand residents. The death rate was 10.6 deaths per thousand residents.
In 2015, children and teenagers (0–19 years old) made up 20.1% of the population. Adults (20–64 years old) were 55.9%. Seniors (over 64 years old) made up 24.0%. Serravalle has an older population compared to the rest of Switzerland. In 2015, there were 499 residents over 65 years old. Out of these, 176 were over 80.
In 2015, there were 897 private households in Serravalle. The average household had 2.27 people. About 85.9% of all buildings were single-family homes. This is much higher than the average for the canton.
Historic Population Changes
The chart below shows how the population of Ludiano, Malvaglia, and Semione changed over time. You can see how the number of people living in these areas has gone up and down through the years.
Important Heritage Sites
Several places in Serravalle are considered important national heritage sites. These include:
- The Casa dei pagani (a cave castle) in Malvaglia.
- The parish church of S. Martino in Malvaglia, with its ossuary (a place for bones) and churchyard.
- The Parish Church of S. Maria Assunta in Semione, also with an ossuary.
- The Oratory of S. Maria Bambina a Navone.
- The ruins of Serravalle Castle in Semione.
The villages of Rongie/Orino, Semione, Navone, and the Val Malvaglia region are also listed on the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. This means they are special places that should be protected.
Economy and Jobs
Serravalle is known as an industrial-tertiary town. This means that farming and manufacturing are not the main parts of its economy.
In 2014, there were 554 people working in Serravalle.
- About 118 people worked in 49 businesses related to the primary economic sector (like farming or forestry).
- The secondary sector (manufacturing and construction) had 267 workers in 34 businesses.
- The tertiary sector (services like shops, hotels, or offices) provided 169 jobs in 84 businesses.
In 2015, a small number of people, 2.9% of the population, received social assistance.
Images for kids
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Casa dei pagani, a cave castle
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Parish Church of S. Martino with ossuary and churchyard
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Parish Church of S. Maria Assunta
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Ruins of Serravalle Castle
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