Osogna is a
municipalityCommunes are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,636 as of 2009. While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
in the district of
RivieraThe district of Riviera is a district of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. The capital of the district is Biasca.- Circles and municipalities :* Circle of Riviera: Osogna, Biasca, Cresciano, Claro, Iragna, Lodrino.-References:*...
in the
cantonThe 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
TicinoCanton 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...
in
SwitzerlandSwitzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
.
History
This village is mentioned for the first time in a document of 1299. Roman graves have been found near the Nala creek. Osogna was the Chief town of a bailiage from 1573 and is the Chief town of the District of Riviera from 1803.
Geography
Osogna is located l5km North of
BellinzonaBellinzona is the capital city of the canton Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its three castles that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000.-Geography:...
and 5km South of
BiascaBiasca is a town of the district of Riviera in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-Geography:The municipality lies at the entrance to the Blenio valley, 19 km north of Bellinzona, on the banks of the Brenno. About 3 km east of Biasca is the small lake of Carigiolo, from which a stream with an 80...
, on the left bank of the
Ticino RiverThe river Ticino is a left-bank tributary of the Po River. It rises in the Val Bedretto in Switzerland and flows through Lake Maggiore, entering Italy. The Ticino joins the Po a few kilometres downstream from Pavia. It is about long. The highest point of the drainage basin is the summit of...
. The highest mountain is the Torrone d'Orza (2952 m).
The rocks consist mainly of gneisses and granites (three quarries were operated in Osogna).
The vegetation is composed primarily of deciduous trees (beeches, chestnut trees) up to 900m and then evergreen trees (spruces and larches). Chestnuts were an important food for the population.
The Patriziato (Patriciate) of Osogna
This public institution is much older than the Municipality. The burghers of Osogna belong to this community which goes back to the vicina of the Middle Ages. All the mountain forests and pastures belong to this institution. These pastures were used during the seasonal migration of the cattle (static transhumance).
Old family names of Osogna are Guidi, Malaguerra, Mattei, Pellanda.
The Parrocchia (Parish) of Osogna
The Catholics of Osogna belong to this parish. The parish church of the Saints Gratiniano and Felino was built in 1498. There are two other churches in Osogna: the church of Santa Maria (Holy Mary) built on the foundations of an old castle (end of the Middle Ages) and the church of Santa Pietà (1729).