Bellinzona

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Coordinates: 46°12′N 9°01′E Coordinates: 46°12′N 9°01′E

Bellinzona
Coat of Arms of Bellinzona
Canton Ticino
District Bellinzona
Coordinates  46°12′N 9°01′E
Population 17'363   (December 2005)
Area 19.84 km²
Elevation 238 m
Postal code 6500
SFOS number 5002
Mayor Brenno Martignoni
Website www.bellinzona.ch
Localities Artore, Carasso , Daro, Ravecchia
Bellinzona (Switzerland)
Bellinzona
Bellinzona
Three Castles, Defensive Wall and Ramparts of the Market-Town of Bellinzone1
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party Flag of Switzerland Switzerland
Type Cultural
Criteria iv
Identification #884
Region2 Europe and North America
Inscription History
Formal Inscription: 2000
24th WH Committee Session
WH link: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/884

1 Name as officially inscribed on the WH List
2 As classified officially by UNESCO

Bellinzona (in French Bellinzone, in archaic German Bellenz and Bilitio in Latin) is the capital city of the canton Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its three castles (Castelgrande, Montebello, Sasso Corbaro) that are now part of the UNESCO world heritage.

Bellinzona
Bellinzona

Contents

[edit] Geography

The city lies east of the Ticino River. It stretches along the river valley, surrounded by the Gotthard Massif.

[edit] History

The Roman name of the city was Blizuna. The city is mentioned in medieval sources in 1218 as Bilizone. It was the capital of the canton of Bellinzona from 1798 to 1803, and of the new canton of Ticino from 1803 to 1814. From that date until 1878, Bellinzona, Lugano, and Locarno, took turns being capital every six years.

The includes the village of Artore and, since the incorporation in 1907, the former municipalities of Carasso , Daro, and Ravecchia

[edit] Population

In 2000, the city had 16,463 inhabitants. Of those, 14,392 speak Italian and 590 German. In that census, 30.6 percent were non-Swiss, mostly from Italy. The metropolitan area of Bellinzona has a population of 48,300, divided into 16 municipalities.

The Chateau Montebello
The Chateau Montebello

[edit] Transportation

It is an important stop for major trains heading either north toward Arth-Goldau and Zürich, or south toward Lugano, Chiasso and Italy or bound for the southwest to Locarno.

The A2 and A13 motorways, as well as some main roads, link here, thus making it an important transportational node.

[edit] Culture

The city is known for its carnival Rabadan, which has taken place for over 150 years.

The local football team is AC Bellinzona.

[edit] Trivia

On July 21, 1985, Swiss swimming sprinter Dano Halsall set a world record in the 50 m freestyle in Bellinzona's local pool, clocking in at 22.52 seconds.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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