Lugano
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Lugano | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||
| Population | 52.512 (2006) | |||||||||
| - Density | 1 /km² (0 /sq.mi.) | |||||||||
| Area | 48 km² (18.5 sq mi) | |||||||||
| Elevation | 273 m (896 ft) | |||||||||
| Postal code | 6900 | |||||||||
| SFOS number | 5192 | |||||||||
| Mayor (list) | Giorgio Giudici | |||||||||
| Localities | Brè-Aldesago, Breganzona, Castagnola, Cureggia, Davesco-Soragno, Gandria, Pambio-Noranco, Pazzallo, Pregassona, and Viganello | |||||||||
| Surrounded by (view map) | Arogno, Bioggio, Cadro, Campione d'Italia (IT-CO), Canobbio, Carabbia, Carona, Collina d'Oro, Grancia, Lanzo d'Intelvi (IT-CO), Massagno, Melide, Muzzano, Paradiso, Porza, Savosa, Sorengo, Valsolda (IT-CO), Vezia | |||||||||
| Website | www.lugano.ch | |||||||||
| | ||||||||||
Lugano (Latin language: Luganum) is a town (130,000 people in the agglomeration) in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy. The city's warm summers, and the fact that in recent years it has attracted an ever growing number of celebrities, entertainers and successful sports people has given it the nickname of the "Monte Carlo of Switzerland".
The origin of the name is most likely the Latin word Lucus, meaning wood or sacred wood, or more likely Gaulish locovanno "lake dweller".
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Lugano lies at the edge of Lake Lugano (Italian: Lago di Lugano or Ceresio), which is situated between the lakes Lago Maggiore and Lago di Como.
The city is located where the river Cassarate enters the lake between the Brè (925m) and the San Salvatore (912m) mountains.
[edit] Demographics
Lugano is the largest town in Ticino. Since its union with some surrounding municipalities (Breganzona, Cureggia, Davesco-Soragno, Gandria, Pambio-Noranco, Pazzallo, Pregassona, and Viganello) in 2004, the city has a population of 52,000, with the whole metropolitan area having a population of about 115,000. This was the second major expansion after the union in 1972 with the municipalities of Brè-Aldesago and Castagnola. The tourism-based economy provides an estimated 38,000 jobs for the area. Furthermore, the city is Switzerland's 3rd major banking center (mainly handling Italian-speaking clients), after Zurich and Geneva. The population is Italian-speaking and mainly Roman Catholic.
[edit] Sights
- Lake Lugano
- Pedal boats
- St. Lawrence Cathedral (9th and 15th century)
- St. Mary of the Angels Church (16th century) with the famous fresco of the Christ's Passion from Bernardino Luini
- Parco civico - Villa Ciani
- Monte San Salvatore
- Monte Brè - easy to reach and worthwhile for a breath-taking view of the city
- Monte Generoso
- Piazza Riforma, the Town Hall, and outdoor chess on giant boards
- Via Nassa and other beautiful central city streets
- Villa Favorita
- The chocolate factory
- Numerous picturesque villages on the lake or the hills around Lugano
- Nearby cities of Bellinzona, Locarno, and even Milan
[edit] Museums
- Modern Art Museum (Museo d'Arte Moderna) official site
- Museum of Extra-European Cultures (Museo delle culture extraeuropee) Via Cortivo 24 6976 Lugano, Switzerland
- Cantonal Art Museum (Museo cantonale d'arte) official site
- Foundation Aligi Sassu and Helenita Olivares (Fondazione Aligi Sassu e Helenita Olivares)
- Historical Museum (Museo storico)
- Cantonal Museum on Natural History (Museo cantonale di storia naturale) official site
- Swiss Custom Museum (Museo doganale svizzero)
- Municipal Art Museum (Museo civico di belle arti)
- Wilhelm Schmid Museum (Museo Wilhelm Schmid)
- Gottardo Gallery (Galleria Gottardo) official site
- Hermann Hesse Museum (Fondazione Hermann Hesse)official site
[edit] Education and research
- Università della Svizzera italiana: Lugano is the home of the faculties of informatics, economics, and communication sciences.
- Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence: a non-profit oriented research institute for artificial intelligence, affiliated with both the Università della Svizzera Italiana and SUPSI.
- Franklin College Switzerland: an internationally accredited college.
- The American School In Switzerland, an international secondary school.
[edit] Airport
[edit] Sports
- Ice hockey: Hockey Club Lugano (HCL) plays in the Switzerland National League. They play at the Resega arena (8000 pl) and have won seven national titles, having participated twice in the European Cup final round and once in the top four final in Euroleague. In 1991, Lugano reached the final of the famous Spengler Cup and twice reached third place in the IIHF Continental Cup Superfinal.
- Soccer: AC Lugano plays in the Swiss Challenge League. They play at the Cornaredo stadium and are successors to, won the Swiss title in 1938, 1941 and 1949 and the Swiss Cup in 1931, 1968 and 1993 before going bankrupt in 2002.
- Basketball: BC Lugano Tigers (former Basket Club Lugano) plays in the Swiss National League A (LNA). They play at the Elvetico gym, won the Swiss Cup in 2001 and have been Swiss LNA Champions in 2000, 2001 and 2006.
[edit] Culture
The Palazzo dei Congressi is the performing arts center for Lugano which one of the main halls for the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana.
The two main musical events of the year are the Blues to Bop Festival (end of August/early September) and the Estival Jazz (July). The city becomes a hive of activity as thousands crowd the streets for free open-air concerts in the city's main piazzas. In 1956 it hosted the first Eurovision Song Contest.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Lugano Tourism
- Lugano travel guide from Wikitravel
- Monte Brè
- Lake Lugano Navigation Company (Italian)
- Lugano fire brigade (Italian)
Lake Lugano (Lago di Lugano, Ceresio) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Italy Lombardy (Province of Como · Province of Varese) Switzerland Canton Ticino (District of Lugano · District of Mendrisio)) | ||
| Settlements | Agno · Barbengo · Bissone · Brusimpiano · Brusino Arsizio · Campione d'Italia · Capolago · Carabietta · Caslano · Claino con Osteno · Collina d'Oro · Lavena Ponte Tresa · Lugano · Magliaso · Maroggia · Melano · Melide · Morcote · Muzzano · Paradiso · Ponte Tresa · Porlezza · Porto Ceresio · Riva San Vitale · Valsolda · Vico Morcote | Image:Lago di Lugano-Mappa.png |
| Rivers | Cassarate · Cuccio · Laveggio · Magliasina · Mara · Rezzo · Tresa · Vedeggio | |
| Mountains | Monte Brè · Monte Generoso · Monte San Salvatore · Monte San Giorgio | |
| People | Carlo Maderno | |
Municipalities in the district of Lugano, Switzerland | |
|---|---|
Agno | Alto Malcantone | Aranno | Arogno | Astano | Barbengo | Bedano | Bedigliora | Bidogno | Bioggio | Bironico | Bissone | Bogno | Brusino Arsizio | Cademario | Cadempino | Cadro | Camignolo | Canobbio | Capriasca | Carabbia | Carabietta | Carona | Caslano | Certara | Cimadera | Collina d'Oro | Comano | Corticiasca | Croglio | Cureglia | Curio | Grancia | Gravesano | Iseo | Lamone | Lugaggia | Lugano | Magliaso | Manno | Maroggia | Massagno | Melano | Melide | Mezzovico-Vira | Miglieglia | Monteggio | Morcote | Muzzano | Neggio | Novaggio | Origlio | Paradiso | Ponte Capriasca | Ponte Tresa | Porza | Pura | Rivera | Rovio | Savosa | Sessa | Sigirino | Sonvico | Sorengo | Torricella-Taverne | Valcolla | Vernate | Vezia | Vico Morcote | Villa Luganese Ticino | Districts of Canton Ticino | Municipalities of the canton of Ticino | Image:Tessin-coat of arms.svg |
bs:Lugano br:Lugano da:Lugano de:Lugano es:Lugano eo:Lugano eu:Lugano fr:Lugano hr:Lugano it:Lugano he:לוגאנו la:Luganum lmo:Lügann hu:Lugano nl:Lugano (stad) ja:ルガーノ pl:Lugano pt:Lugano ro:Lugano rm:Lugano ru:Лугано (город) sk:Lugano sr:Лугано (град) fi:Lugano sv:Lugano uk:Луґано vo:Lugano zh:盧加諾
