Campione d'Italia
Encyclopedia
Campione d'Italia is an Italian
comune
(municipality) of the Province of Como
in the Lombardy
region, occupying an enclave within the Swiss canton
of Ticino
, separated from the rest of Italy
by Lake Lugano
and mountains. The enclave is less than 1 km at the shortest point from the rest of Italy, but the hilly terrain requires a journey by road of over 14 km to reach the nearest Italian town, Lanzo d'Intelvi
, and over 28 km to reach the city of Como
.
First settlements in the area date back to the first century BC, when the Romans
founded the garrison
town of Campilonum to protect their territories from Helvetii
invasion attempts.
Its status came about when Ticino
chose to become part of the Swiss Confederation in 1798, and Campione's people chose to remain part of Lombardy
, which subsequently became part of Italy in 1859. An alternative explanation is that, in the year 787, the lands of what is present-day Campione were controlled by a man who ceded this land to the Church of San Ambrogio in Milan
as a token of appreciation for the skill of the Milanese craftsmen. The d'Italia was added to the appellation under Prime Minister
Benito Mussolini
, who was keen to showcase Campione to its neighbours.
During World War II
, the US Office of Strategic Services
(OSS, the predecessor of the CIA) maintained a unit in Campione and used it for operations into Italy. At the time the pro-Nazi Italian regime did not have control over the exclave. The Swiss turned a blind eye to the situation as long as the Americans kept a low profile. Separate stamps were issued during this period inscribed "Campione d'Italia" and valued in Swiss franc
s.
but the euro
is widely accepted; Italian citizens residing in Campione must abide by Swiss law regarding customs duties
. Currently, car plates are not Italian, but Swiss; similarly, the telephone
system is almost entirely operated by Swisscom
, meaning that calls from Italy and all other countries outside Switzerland (with very few exceptions such as calling the city hall) require the international dialing code for Switzerland (+41) and the Ticino
area code (91). Mail may be sent using either a Swiss postal code
or an Italian one using Switzerland or Italy as destination country respectively.
Pursuant to bilateral agreements, Italians residing in Campione also benefit from many services and facilities located in Swiss territory, such as hospital care, that would otherwise be available only to Swiss residents.
Like the Italian town of Livigno
, it is exempt from the EU VAT
. Campione takes advantage of its status by operating a famous casino
, the Casinò di Campione
, as gambling laws are less strict than in either Italy or Switzerland (also a legacy of the pre-World War II era).
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) of the Province of Como
Province of Como
The Province of Como is a province in the north of the Lombardy region of Italy and borders the Swiss cantons of Ticino and Grigioni to the North, the Italian provinces of Sondrio and Lecco to the East, the Province of Milan to the south and the Province of Varese to the West...
in the Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
region, occupying an enclave within the Swiss canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, separated from the rest of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
by Lake Lugano
Lake Lugano
Lake Lugano is a glacial lake in the south-east of Switzerland, at the border between Switzerland and Italy. The lake, named after the city of Lugano, is situated between Lake Como and Lago Maggiore...
and mountains. The enclave is less than 1 km at the shortest point from the rest of Italy, but the hilly terrain requires a journey by road of over 14 km to reach the nearest Italian town, Lanzo d'Intelvi
Lanzo d'Intelvi
Lanzo d'Intelvi is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about north of Como, on the border with Switzerland...
, and over 28 km to reach the city of Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
.
History
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
founded the garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
town of Campilonum to protect their territories from Helvetii
Helvetii
The Helvetii were a Celtic tribe or tribal confederation occupying most of the Swiss plateau at the time of their contact with the Roman Republic in the 1st century BC...
invasion attempts.
Its status came about when Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
chose to become part of the Swiss Confederation in 1798, and Campione's people chose to remain part of Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, which subsequently became part of Italy in 1859. An alternative explanation is that, in the year 787, the lands of what is present-day Campione were controlled by a man who ceded this land to the Church of San Ambrogio in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
as a token of appreciation for the skill of the Milanese craftsmen. The d'Italia was added to the appellation under Prime Minister
Prime minister of Italy
The Prime Minister of Italy is the head of government of the Italian Republic...
Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
, who was keen to showcase Campione to its neighbours.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the US Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
(OSS, the predecessor of the CIA) maintained a unit in Campione and used it for operations into Italy. At the time the pro-Nazi Italian regime did not have control over the exclave. The Swiss turned a blind eye to the situation as long as the Americans kept a low profile. Separate stamps were issued during this period inscribed "Campione d'Italia" and valued in Swiss franc
Swiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
s.
Economy and administration
Campione has a considerable amount of economic and administrative integration with Switzerland. Because of its particular status, legal tender in the town is the Swiss francSwiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
but the euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
is widely accepted; Italian citizens residing in Campione must abide by Swiss law regarding customs duties
Duty (economics)
In economics, a duty is a kind of tax, often associated with customs, a payment due to the revenue of a state, levied by force of law. It is a tax on certain items purchased abroad...
. Currently, car plates are not Italian, but Swiss; similarly, the telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
system is almost entirely operated by Swisscom
Swisscom
Swisscom AG is a major telecommunications provider in Switzerland. Along with Swiss Post, it is a successor company to the former state-owned PTT. Its headquarters are located at Worblaufen near Bern...
, meaning that calls from Italy and all other countries outside Switzerland (with very few exceptions such as calling the city hall) require the international dialing code for Switzerland (+41) and the Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
area code (91). Mail may be sent using either a Swiss postal code
Postal code
A postal code is a series of letters and/or digits appended to a postal address for the purpose of sorting mail. Once postal codes were introduced, other applications became possible.In February 2005, 117 of the 190 member countries of the Universal Postal Union had postal code systems...
or an Italian one using Switzerland or Italy as destination country respectively.
Pursuant to bilateral agreements, Italians residing in Campione also benefit from many services and facilities located in Swiss territory, such as hospital care, that would otherwise be available only to Swiss residents.
Like the Italian town of Livigno
Livigno
Livigno is a town and comune in the province of Sondrio, in the region of Lombardy, Italy, located in the Italian Alps.- Geography :Livigno is located 1,816 metres above sea level. Livigno's main river is called Aqua Granda or Spöl. Trepalle, a frazione in the municipality of Livigno, is...
, it is exempt from the EU VAT
European Union Value Added Tax Area
The European Union value added tax area is a territory consisting of all European Union member states and certain other countries which follow the European Union's rules on value added tax . The principle is also valid for some special taxes on products like alcohol and tobacco.Goods are only...
. Campione takes advantage of its status by operating a famous casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
, the Casinò di Campione
Casinò di Campione
The Casinò di Campione is the largest employer in Campione d'Italia, an Italian enclave within Switzerland's Canton of Ticino, on the shores of Lake Lugano. The casino was founded in 1917, opened in 1933, and is owned by the Italian government, and operated by the municipality...
, as gambling laws are less strict than in either Italy or Switzerland (also a legacy of the pre-World War II era).