Cugnasco

Geschichte

Cugnasco is a village in the municipality Cugnasco-Gerra of the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.Cugnasco had a population of nearly 1300.Cugnasco was an independent municipality until January 1, 2009, when it merged with Gerra (Verzasca) to form Cugnasco-Gerra.LocationCugnasco is on the outskirts of the Magadino valley. It includes the settlements of Boscioredo, Cugnasco, Bosco, Massarescio, Medoscio, Moncucco, Pianrestello and Sciarana.HistoryCugnasco is first mentioned in 1374 as Cunyascho. Today's mountain pastures of Ditto and Curogna are the oldest settlements of the municipality. The settlements in the marshy Ticino river floodplain, developed later. The present village developed mainly due to the herders who brought their cattle down into the Magadino valley for the winter. In the 13th and 14th Centuries there was a migration from Verzasca valley and about 150 inhabitants of Ditto and Curogna moved down into the valley. Cugnasco grew into a center of community life for the surrounding settlements.As Cugnasco grew, a Servite monastery grew up as well. In 1653, the monastery was closed. However, the Chapel of the Beata Vergine delle Grazie continued to serve for the inhabitants of the plain. Before the chapel, they had to travel to Tenero for worship services. The small 15th Century church, now a heritage site of national significance containing valuable frescoes from the 16th and 17th Century was the goal of many pilgrims from the region.