Acquarossa
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Access
Access to Acquarossa is mainly from the Ticino plain: the municipality can be reached by car from Bellinzona in about 45 minutes along the cantonal road . The nearest railway station is Biasca, on the Gotthard line, about 15 km from the centre. The nearest airports are Milan-Malpensa (120 km) and Zurich (150 km).
Introduction
Acquarossa is a Swiss municipality in Canton Ticino located in the Blenio Valley, a wide Alpine valley about 60 km north of Bellinzona. Founded in 2004 from the merger of nine historic villages - Castro, Corzoneso, Dongio, Largario, Leontica, Lottigna, Marolta, Ponto Valentino and Prugiasco - it is now the administrative and cultural centre of the valley. Its location along the ancient Via del Lucomagno, an important link between northern Italy and inland Switzerland, has made it a place of transit and encounter over the centuries, leaving traces of trade and shared traditions that still characterise local identity today.
Description
The municipal territory extends from the valley floors, rich in meadows and cultivated land, to the peaks of the Ticino Alps, reaching altitudes of over 2,800 metres. Among the most significant mountains that mark the landscape are Pizzo Molare and Cima di Gana Bianca, while the Brenno River flows through the valley with stretches of gorges and waterfalls. The woods are dominated by chestnut and beech trees, symbols of a traditionally rural and pastoral economy that has ensured subsistence for local communities for centuries. The hamlets preserve a typical stone architecture, visible for example in the houses and roofs of Corzoneso, where the Torre dei Pagani, a medieval testimony, stands out.
The history of Acquarossa and the Blenio Valley is marked by strategic passages and territorial disputes. Already frequented in Roman times, the valley gained prominence in the Middle Ages as a trade and pilgrimage route along the Lukmanier. Between the 15th and 16th centuries, the area came under the influence of the Grisons and the Duchy of Milan, eventually being permanently integrated into the Swiss dominions. Among the names linked to the local culture is Giovanni Orelli, 20th century writer and poet, whose works sensitively recount Blenio's identity and traditions.
The economy of the municipality is diversified: alongside mountain agriculture and sheep farming, which produce cheeses such as Formagella di Blenio and alp butter, there are vine-growing activities on terraces that give rise to the Ticinese Merlot. There is no lack of small craft activities dedicated to wood and stone working, in continuity with traditional knowledge. Today, tourism represents a fundamental resource, fuelled by hiking, cycling and winter sports.
Cultural life is marked by festivals and celebrations with strong community roots, such as the Chestnut Festival in October, which celebrates a fruit that is central to Ticino's food history, and the Palio delle frazioni, which enlivens the summer with historical games and moments of conviviality. In terms of gastronomy, the local cuisine combines Alpine and Mediterranean influences, offering dishes such as polenta and braised beef, risottos with porcini mushrooms and the typical cheese fritters known as sciatt. Among the curiosities of the intangible heritage is the legend of the Blenio Dragon, which is said to have inhabited the caves near Pizzo Molare.
Tourist itineraries offer numerous possibilities: paths connect the various hamlets and lead to higher altitudes, including routes to the Luzzone reservoir and the dam of the same name, one of the most imposing in Switzerland. In winter, Acquarossa is popular for its cross-country skiing trails in Campra and ski facilities in the Lukmanier area. An important cultural landmark is the Blenio Museum, housed in the Landfogti Palace in Lottigna, which documents the history and transformation of this Alpine valley.
Information
Area:61.70 km²
Altitude:430m
Maximum elevation: 2,842m - Cima di Gana Bianca
Number of inhabitants:1,920 as of 31.12.24
Name in dialect: Acquarossa
Name in dialect: Aquarossians
Patron Saint: St. Martin, celebrated on 11 November
Neighbouring municipalities: Blenio, Faido, Serravalle
Internet site: www.acquarossa.ch
Collections
By own work - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20566164