Subdivisions of the canton of Ticino
Subdivisions of the canton of Ticino, Switzerland, are the 115 municipalities[1] (and the 25 quarters of the municipality of Lugano) grouped into 38 circles, which in turn form a part or the whole of one of the eight districts.
Districts and circles
The eight districts (distretti) are historic and are maintained by the constitution of the Republic and Canton of Ticino.[2]
Leventina was a subject of the canton of Uri until 1798, the year the Helvetic Republic was founded, when it became part of the new canton of Bellinzona along with the Swiss condominiums of Bellinzona, Riviera and Blenio. The condominiums of Locarno, Lugano, Mendrisio and Vallemaggia became part of the new canton of Lugano in 1798. These two cantons formed into one canton — Ticino — in 1803 when it joined the (restored) Swiss Confederation as a member canton. The former condominiums and Leventina became the eight districts of the canton of Ticino.
The circles (circoli) in the present era, similar to the districts, serve only as an administrative territorial entity with limited public functions, most notably the local judiciary. Those shown below in italics are former or proposed circles. They are effectively sub-districts, though the smallest district (Riviera) has only one circle.
The following is the current establishment of municipalities, circles and districts.
Circle | Municipality |
---|---|
Circle of Mendrisio: | Mendrisio, Coldrerio. |
Circle of Balerna: | Balerna, Castel San Pietro, Chiasso, Morbio Inferiore. |
Circle of Caneggio: | Breggia, Vacallo. |
Circle of Stabio: | Stabio, Novazzano. |
Circle of Riva San Vitale: | Riva San Vitale. |
Circle | Municipality |
---|---|
Circle of Lugano West: | Lugano (quarters to the right of the Cassarate riverbank). |
Circle of Lugano East: | Lugano (quarters to the left of the Cassarate riverbank). |
Circle of Lugano North: | Lugano (quarters of Sonvico, Villa Luganese, Davesco-Soragno, Val Colla, Cadro). |
Circle of Ceresio: | Maroggia, Rovio, Brusino Arsizio, Arogno, Melano, Bissone. |
Circle of Carona: | (became the Circle of Paradiso in 2012 with the merger of Carona into the municipality of Lugano) |
Circle of Paradiso: | Paradiso, Melide, Morcote, Vico Morcote, Grancia, Collina d’Oro. |
Circle of Magliasina: | Caslano, Pura, Ponte Tresa, Curio, Neggio, Magliaso. |
Circle of Agno: | Agno, Bioggio, Muzzano, Cademario, Vernate. |
Circle of Sessa: | Sessa, Astano, Bedigliora, Croglio, Monteggio. |
Circle of Sonvico: | (abolished in 2013 with the creation of the Circle of Lugano North) |
Circle of Vezia: | Vezia, Cureglia, Cadempino, Lamone, Comano, Sorengo, Massagno, Savosa, Porza, Canobbio. |
Circle of Breno: | Alto Malcantone, Novaggio, Miglieglia, Aranno. |
Circle of Pregassona: | (abolished in 2004) |
Circle of Capriasca: | Capriasca, Origlio, Ponte Capriasca. |
Circle of Taverne: | Taverne-Torricella, Bedano, Gravesano, Manno, Monteceneri, Mezzovico-Vira. |
Circle | Municipality |
---|---|
Circle of Locarno: | Locarno, Muralto, Orselina. |
Circle of Isole: | Ascona, Brissago, Ronco sopra Ascona, Losone. |
Circle of Onsernone: | Onsernone. |
Circle of Gambarogno: | Gambarogno. |
Circle of Melezza: | Centovalli, Terre di Pedemonte. |
Circle of Verzasca: | Lavertezzo, Vogorno, Corippo, Brione (Verzasca), Frasco, Sonogno, Cugnasco-Gerra. |
Circle of Navegna: | Tenero-Contra, Minusio, Mergoscia, Brione sopra Minusio, Gordola. |
Circle | Municipality |
---|---|
Circle of Rovana: | Cevio, Linescio, Cerentino, Campo (Vallemaggia), Bosco/Gurin. |
Circle of Maggia: | Maggia, Avegno Gordevio. |
Circle of Lavizzara: | Lavizzara. |
Circle | Municipality |
---|---|
Circle of Bellinzona: | Bellinzona, Arbedo-Castione, Lumino. |
Circle of Ticino: | Monte Carasso, Gudo, Sementina, Gorduno, Gnosca, Preonzo, Moleno. |
Circle of Giubiasco: | Giubiasco, Pianezzo, Sant'Antonio, Camorino, Sant’Antonino, Cadenazzo, Isone. |
Circle of Arbedo-Castione: | (planned upon the merger of the municipality of Bellinzona with municipalities from other circles; new Circle consisting of Arbedo-Castione and Lumino) |
Circle of Bellinzona: | (planned upon the merger of several of the municipalities of the Circle of Giubiasco and all the municipalities of the Circle of Ticino into the municipality and Circle of Bellinzona; new Circle consisting of Bellinzona) |
Circle of Sant’Antonino: | (planned upon the merger of several municipalities of the Circle of Giubiasco into the municipality and Circle of Belinzona; new Circle consisting of Sant’Antonino, Cadenazzo and Isone) |
Circle | Municipality |
---|---|
Circle of Riviera: | Osogna, Biasca, Cresciano, Claro, Iragna, Lodrino. |
Circle | Municipality |
---|---|
Circle of Malvaglia: | Serravalle. |
Circle of Acquarossa: | Acquarossa. |
Circle of Olivone: | Blenio. |
Circle | Municipality |
---|---|
Circle of Giornico: | Giornico, Bodio, Personico, Pollegio. |
Circle of Faido: | Faido. |
Circle of Quinto: | Quinto, Prato Leventina, Dalpe. |
Circle of Airolo: | Airolo, Bedretto. |
Municipalities
The municipalities, or communes/communities (comuni) have since the late 1990s seen a steady series of mergers, bringing the total number down from 245 in 1995 to 115 in 2018, with further mergers planned. The constitution of the canton allows for the Grand Council of Ticino to promote and lead in deciding on mergers,[2] and where it does so only advisory referendums are held in the municipalities affected.
Quarters
The municipality and city of Lugano is subdivided into 25 quartieri (quarters)[3] which are grouped into three (cantonal) circles.
Quarters 1–9 are the city's older quarters, which have been recently added to by successive enlargements of the municipality in 2004, 2008 and 2013; these enlargements involved previously independent municipalities becoming quarters of Lugano.
Quartier | No. | BFS-Code | Date joined Lugano | Former municipality | Circle | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aldesago | 1 | 5192001 | 1972 | Brè-Aldesago | East | |
Besso | 2 | 5192002 | – | – | West | |
Brè | 3 | 5192003 | 1972 | Brè-Aldesago | East | |
Caprino | 4 | 5192004 | 1972 | Castagnola-Cassarate | East | |
Cassarate | 5 | 5192005 | 1972 | Castagnola-Cassarate | East | |
Castagnola | 6 | 5192006 | 1972 | Castagnola-Cassarate | East | |
Centro | 7 | 5192007 | – | – | West | |
Loreto | 8 | 5192008 | – | – | West | |
Molino Nuovo | 9 | 5192009 | – | – | West | |
Breganzona | 11 | 5192011 | 2004 | Breganzona | West | |
Cureggia | 12 | 5192012 | 2004 | Cureggia | East | |
Davesco-Soragno | 13 | 5192013 | 2004 | Davesco-Soragno | North | |
Gandria | 14 | 5192014 | 2004 | Gandria | East | |
Pambio-Noranco | 15 | 5192015 | 2004 | Pambio-Noranco | East | |
Pazzallo | 16 | 5192016 | 2004 | Pazzallo | West | |
Pregassona | 17 | 5192017 | 2004 | Pregassona | East | |
Viganello | 18 | 5192018 | 2004 | Viganello | East | |
Barbengo | 19 | 5192021 | 2008 | Barbengo | West | |
Carabbia | 20 | 5192022 | 2008 | Carabbia | West | |
Villa Luganese | 21 | 5192023 | 2008 | Villa Luganese | North | |
Cadro | 22 | 5192024 | 2013 | Cadro | North | |
Carona | 23 | 5192025 | 2013 | Carona | West | |
Sonvico | 24 | 5192026 | 2013 | Sonvico | North | |
Val Colla | 25 | 5192027 | 2013 | Cimadera, Certara, Bogno, Valcolla | North |
References
- Swiss Federal Statistical Office accessed 30 October 2017
- Constitution of the Republic and Canton of Ticino, Articles 20 and 21
- "Quartieri" [districts] (in Italian). City of Lugano. Retrieved 23 July 2012.