Gandria
Encyclopedia
Gandria is a small village on the shore of Lake Lugano
in Switzerland
. The historically protected center (nucleo), which is not accessible by car, attracts visitors from all over the world. With about 200 inhabitants, Gandria is often referred to as an independent town, but since 2004 it has been a district of Lugano
.
Boat service between Gandria and other towns on the lake is regular, and it is also possible to walk from Gandria to Lugano and other surrounding villages via a publicly maintained footpath hewn into the rock in 1936. This path (now branded the olive
path by the Tourism Bureau) between Gandria and Castagnola
leads along plantations of olive trees and offers views of the Lake of Lugano.
Since Gandria became a part of Lugano, needed infrastructure projects have been carried out, including a sewage treatment plant that went on line in August 2010. Work to place electrical lines underground is ongoing.
s of a deer
– the lake’s resemblance to the prongs of an antler can be more easily imagined when viewed from above.
Rome
conquered the region in 196 B.C. Tombs and artifacts from the neighbouring villages of Castagnola
and Brè
are testimonials to the Roman presence. Present-day Gandria, however, was not yet inhabited.
of Como
in 1237. At the time, the village was located halfway up Mt. Bré – the ruins are still visible today along the trail to the Sasso della Predescia.
In the 14th century, a new settlement was established along the lake in the present-day site. Eventually the upper part of the village was abandoned, perhaps due to fire, perhaps due to the advantages of living near the lake. Gandria was only accessible by boat and steep trails, locals had to be self-sufficient. In addition to gardening and raising livestock, they benefited from the lake’s abundant fish.
s, Gandria was known for its olive oil
. In recent years, olive trees have been replanted and information panels posted along a scenic lakeside trail to Lugano (Sentiero dell’olivo).
In 1856 silk
production began in Gandria, using leaves from local mulberry trees to feed the silkworms. Because of the difficult-to-control border, the area around Gandria became infamous for smuggling
. Cigarettes, meat and alcohol were especially profitable due to high Swiss customs duties. (A notable item at the Swiss Customs Museum is a confiscated “submarine” used to smuggle salami).
The year 1935 was the beginning of a new era for Gandria, as tunnels and a new road connected the village to Lugano
and Italy
.
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...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The historically protected center (nucleo), which is not accessible by car, attracts visitors from all over the world. With about 200 inhabitants, Gandria is often referred to as an independent town, but since 2004 it has been a district of Lugano
Lugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
.
Boat service between Gandria and other towns on the lake is regular, and it is also possible to walk from Gandria to Lugano and other surrounding villages via a publicly maintained footpath hewn into the rock in 1936. This path (now branded the olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
path by the Tourism Bureau) between Gandria and Castagnola
Castagnola
Castagnola is a former municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland. Today it is a quarter of the city of Lugano.-Overview:It was first recorded in 1335 as Castigniola....
leads along plantations of olive trees and offers views of the Lake of Lugano.
Since Gandria became a part of Lugano, needed infrastructure projects have been carried out, including a sewage treatment plant that went on line in August 2010. Work to place electrical lines underground is ongoing.
Early history
The first lasting human traces on the immediate area around Gandria come from the iron-age people of the Celts (as of 800 B.C.). A large stone (Sasso della Predescia) carved with mysterious signs, probably used for Celtic religious purposes, is located within hiking distance. Many modern locations nearby have Celtic names. Gandria sits at the base of Mt. Brè, which means “mountain” in Celtic. The name of the Lake of Lugano in Italian, Ceresio, could be derived from the Celtic word keresios, a reference to a god of fertility who is always pictured with the antlerAntler
Antlers are the usually large, branching bony appendages on the heads of most deer species.-Etymology:Antler originally meant the lowest tine, the "brow tine"...
s of a deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
– the lake’s resemblance to the prongs of an antler can be more easily imagined when viewed from above.
Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
conquered the region in 196 B.C. Tombs and artifacts from the neighbouring villages of Castagnola
Castagnola
Castagnola is a former municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland. Today it is a quarter of the city of Lugano.-Overview:It was first recorded in 1335 as Castigniola....
and Brè
Brè
Brè is a village in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland, today a quarter of the city of Lugano.It was first recorded in year 1280 as de Bre....
are testimonials to the Roman presence. Present-day Gandria, however, was not yet inhabited.
First settlement
“Gandrio” is first mentioned in archives from the bishopBishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
in 1237. At the time, the village was located halfway up Mt. Bré – the ruins are still visible today along the trail to the Sasso della Predescia.
In the 14th century, a new settlement was established along the lake in the present-day site. Eventually the upper part of the village was abandoned, perhaps due to fire, perhaps due to the advantages of living near the lake. Gandria was only accessible by boat and steep trails, locals had to be self-sufficient. In addition to gardening and raising livestock, they benefited from the lake’s abundant fish.
Olives, silk and smuggling
Until the unusually hard winter of 1709 killed most of the olive treeOlive Tree
The Olive Tree was a denomination used for several successive centre-left Italian political coalitions from 1995 to 2007.The historical leader and ideologue of these coalitions was Romano Prodi, Professor of Economics and former leftist Christian Democrat, who invented the name and the symbol of...
s, Gandria was known for its olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
. In recent years, olive trees have been replanted and information panels posted along a scenic lakeside trail to Lugano (Sentiero dell’olivo).
In 1856 silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
production began in Gandria, using leaves from local mulberry trees to feed the silkworms. Because of the difficult-to-control border, the area around Gandria became infamous for smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
. Cigarettes, meat and alcohol were especially profitable due to high Swiss customs duties. (A notable item at the Swiss Customs Museum is a confiscated “submarine” used to smuggle salami).
The year 1935 was the beginning of a new era for Gandria, as tunnels and a new road connected the village to Lugano
Lugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
and 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...
.