The Glogn ( Romansh , German : Glenner ) is a whitewater river in Graubünden . Glenner was also the name of a district in this area, which was annexed by Surselva District in 2001.
112-632: The river rises near the border with Ticino and is surrounded by up to 3100m high mountains. The river flows through the Lumnezia . In Suraua , the Vals Rhine flows into the Glogn. After a few more kilometers, the Glogn flows into the Vorderrhein at Ilanz . In the upper reaches of the river has cut a deep gorge, which has uncovered black shale in a few places. During the snow melt and after rains
224-689: A " base tunnel " since it bypasses most of the existing vertex line, the Gotthard railway line , a winding mountain route opened in 1882 across the Saint-Gotthard Massif , which was operating at its capacity before the opening of the GBT. The new base tunnel establishes a direct route usable by high-speed rail and heavy freight trains . The main purpose of the Gotthard Base Tunnel is to increase local transport capacity through
336-400: A President and two vice-presidents. The five-member Council of State ( Italian : Consiglio di Stato ), not to be confused with the federal Council of States , is the executive authority of the canton, and it directs cantonal affairs according to law and the constitution. It is elected in a single constituency using the proportional representation system. Currently, the five members of
448-584: A continuous motorway was established from the northern border of Switzerland in Basel to the southern border in Chiasso , or the shortest motorway route from North-German Hamburg as far as South-Italian Sicily , bringing down the competitiveness of the railway line. Passenger speed was also increased on the railway line with the use of tilting trains, notably the ICN , although maximum speed remaining far lower than on
560-465: A damaged lane-change gate, two high-speed switches and many other safety and operationally relevant parts. Freight trains were allowed to use the east tunnel from 23 August due to a temporary maintenance gate replacing the damaged one whilst passenger services remained rerouted. Freight capacity in the tunnel was gradually increased on weekdays, while passenger services saw expansion on weekends. In case of emergency, passengers would be evacuated through
672-573: A headscarf. The Burqa ban was later approved by the Grand Council in November 2015. In September 2016, Ticino voters approved a Swiss People's Party -sponsored referendum that gives precedence to Swiss workers, as opposed to foreign workers, defying freedom of movement agreements between Switzerland and the EU . The canton is divided into eight districts : Leventina was a subject of
784-520: A huge challenge for automobiles of those days. From 1953 onwards, the pass road was sequentially improved and expanded at several sections along the Gotthard route, finally ending in 1977 with the opening of an expressway fully circumventing the Tremola. In winter, however, due to the snow, cars could only cross the Gotthard on the train. Transit time was further dramatically reduced with the opening of
896-534: A lane change gate in the tunnel were severely damaged. The gate is needed to separate the two tunnel tubes which is why the second tunnel could not initially be used to run trains. Experts from the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) were dispatched to the site to preserve and document evidence of the crash. Investigators found fragments of a wheel and signs of derailment several kilometers before
1008-660: A large complex with, at its core, two single-track tunnels connecting Erstfeld (Uri) with Bodio (Ticino) and passing below Sedrun ( Grisons ). It is part of the New Railway Link through the Alps (NRLA) project, which also includes the Ceneri Base Tunnel further south (opened on 3 September 2020) and the Lötschberg Base Tunnel on the other main north–south axis. It is referred to as
1120-721: A live relay carried a speech given by Transport Minister Doris Leuthard at the southern entrance in Bodio . The first journey carried hundreds of Swiss citizens who had won tickets in a draw, while the assembled guests in Erstfeld, including the Federal Council in corpore, heads of state and government from neighbouring countries and transport ministers from European countries, attended the opening show Sacre del Gottardo by Volker Hesse featuring 600 dancers, acrobats, singers and musicians celebrating Alpine culture and myths around
1232-403: A maximum elevation of 549 m (1,801 ft) above sea level, corresponding to that of Bern . It is the deepest railway tunnel in the world, with a maximum depth of 2,450 m (8,040 ft), comparable to that of the deepest mines on Earth. Without ventilation, the temperature inside the mountain reaches 46 °C (115 °F). Like the two other tunnels passing below the Gotthard,
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#17327806654861344-433: A member canton. The former condominiums and Leventina became the eight districts of the canton of Ticino, which exist to the present day and are provided for by the cantonal constitution. There are 108 municipalities in the canton (as of June 2021 ). These municipalities ( comuni ) are grouped in 38 circoli (circles or sub-districts) which are in turn grouped into the eight districts ( distretti ). The mayor ( sindaco )
1456-425: A moderately elevated mountain pass and important north–south axis. The Sopraceneri is constituted by the districts of Bellinzona , Blenio , Leventina , Locarno , Riviera and Vallemaggia , and makes up about 85% of the territory and 43% of the population. The Sottoceneri is constituted by the districts of Lugano and Mendrisio , and makes up about 15% of the territory and 57% of the population. While Lugano ,
1568-442: A modern straight high-speed line. Both modern motorway and historic railway rely on heavy rockfall and avalanche protection equipments and are exposed to harsh weather condition in winter. After the opening of the auto tunnel, in 1980, traffic increased more than tenfold. The existing tunnel was at its capacity by 2013. A second tunnel will be built next to the first, following a national referendum. Construction started in 2021 and
1680-512: A railway node with links to Lucerne and Zürich , and Bellinzona (the "Gate of Ticino"), with links to Locarno , Luino and Lugano (via the Monte Ceneri Rail Tunnel ). The journey from Arth-Goldau to Bellinzona takes not more than an hour. The station of Altdorf is planned to be served by 2021. There also have been talks of using that of Biasca. The travel between Altdorf and Biasca would last less than 25 minutes. Since
1792-606: A shift in transportation policy in September 1992 by accepting the NRLA proposal. A second law, the Alpine Protection Act of February 1994, requires a shift of as much tonnage as possible from truck transport to train transport. The goal of both the laws is to transport trucks, trailers and freight containers through Switzerland, from Basel to Chiasso , and beyond by rail to relieve the overused roads, and that of
1904-625: A stop inside the tunnel, to allow passengers to visit an exhibition inside the underground multifunction station in Sedrun which would normally be used in emergency only. During 2016, the GBT was tested extensively before its integration into the regular schedule on 11 December. On 5 December, the Swiss Federal Railways were granted permission from the Federal Transport Office to use the new base line. While
2016-779: A volunteer militia in Lugano. Between 1798 and 1803, during the Helvetic Republic , two cantons were created ( Bellinzona and Lugano ) but in 1803 the two were unified to form the canton of Ticino that joined the Swiss Confederation as a full member in the same year under the Act of Mediation . During the Napoleonic Wars , many Ticinesi (as was the case for other Swiss ) served in Swiss military units allied with
2128-412: Is 114.6 persons per km . As of 2000, 83.1% of the population spoke Italian, 8.3% spoke German and 1.7% spoke Serbo-Croatian . As of 2019, 70.0% of the total population was Catholic . According to a 2012 survey, the population aged 15 years and older was mostly Catholic (70%); further Christian denominations accounted for 10% of the population (including Swiss Reformed 4%), 2% were Muslim and 1% of
2240-404: Is 250 km/h (155 mph) through the GBT, the maximal authorized speed has been reduced to 230 km/h (145 mph) for ecological and economical reasons, while the operating speed of passenger trains is restricted to 200 km/h (125 mph) in order to accommodate the freight traffic, with the possibility to accelerate up to 230 km/h (145 mph) in case of delay. At opening
2352-605: Is crossed below the Chrüzlistock , the crest having an elevation of about 2,700 m (8,900 ft) at this point. From the crest and border, the tunnel runs parallel to the small valley of the river Strem (Val Strem) before passing below Sedrun and the Anterior Rhine. From the bottom of the valley, the tunnel proceeds towards the valley of the Rein da Nalps (Val Nalps) and passes east of Lai da Nalps , before crossing
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#17327806654862464-486: Is given in the following table: Tertiary sector workers make up 76.5% of the Ticinese workforce, compared to the Swiss average of 67.1%. Commerce (23.1%), tourism (10.1%) and financial activities (3.9%) are all important for the local economy, while the contribution from agriculture and fishing is marginal, employing 6.5% of the workforce on a Swiss average of 15.4%. The median gross private sector monthly salary in 2012
2576-536: Is increasing. Numerous gardens, especially near the lakes, such as the Brissago Islands and the Scherrer Park , are renowned for their exotic plants. The Diocese of Lugano is co-extensive to the canton. Ticino is one of the wine regions for Swiss wine . The defined region encompasses all of the canton plus the neighbouring Italian-speaking district of Moesa ( Misox and Calanca valleys) in
2688-421: Is not the same as that of the continent, that of the central lands, that of Europe far away from the sea." On average, the temperature is about 3 °C (5 °F) higher on the south side than the north side, but on some days, temperature differences are well over 10 °C (18 °F). The north portal lies in the north of the municipality of Erstfeld at an elevation of 460 m (1,510 ft), east of
2800-422: Is noticeably warmer and wetter than the rest of Switzerland's . In German-speaking Switzerland, Ticino is nicknamed Sonnenstube (sun porch), owing to the more than 2,300 sunshine hours the canton receives every year, compared to 1,700 for Zurich. The canton can experience particularly heavy storms and rainfalls in summer. It is the region of Switzerland with the highest level of lightning discharge. Conversely,
2912-519: Is one of the three large southern Alpine cantons, along with Valais and the Grisons . However, unlike all other cantons, it lies almost entirely south of the Alps and has no natural access to the Swiss Plateau . Through the main crest of the Gotthard and adjacent mountain ranges, it borders the canton of Valais to the northwest, the canton of Uri to the north and the canton of Grisons to
3024-777: Is scheduled to finish in 2027. As early as 1947, engineer Eduard Gruner imagined a two-story base tunnel from Amsteg to Biasca, both rail and road, with a stop at Sedrun, to provide a faster and flatter passage through the Swiss Alps . Similarly to Gruner's idea, the GBT cuts through the Gotthard Massif some 600 m (2,000 ft) below the older tunnel. On the historic track only the Gotthard Railway trains up to 1,300 t (2.9 × 10 ^ lb ) when using two locomotives or up to 1,500 t (3.3 × 10 ^ lb) with an additional bank engine at
3136-544: Is the meeting place for both the Grand Council and the Council of State. Nearby Piazza Governo is Piazza Indipendenza, which commemorates the independence of the canton. Since a referendum in September 2013, Ticino is the only Swiss canton where wearing full-face veils is illegal. Supporters of the ban cited the case of a 20-year-old Pakistani woman from Bellinzona , who was killed by her husband for refusing to wear
3248-411: Is the president of the municipal government ( municipio ) which comprises at least three members; a council also exists. The members of the council and the municipio are elected every four years by the citizens resident in the comune – the next elections are scheduled for April 2024. Since the late 1990s, there has been an ongoing project to aggregate some municipalities , with the constitution of
3360-584: Is traditionally (but not administratively) split into two regions. The northern region, the Sopraceneri , is formed by the valleys around Lake Maggiore and includes the highest mountains of the canton and the main Alpine watershed . The southern region, the Sottoceneri , is the region around Lake Lugano , and marks the beginning of the southern Alpine foothills. Between the two regions is Monte Ceneri ,
3472-451: The Basel / Zürich – Lugano – Milan journey time for passenger trains by one hour (and from Lucerne to Bellinzona by 45 minutes). After 64 percent of Swiss voters accepted the NRLA project in a 1992 referendum , the first preparatory and exploratory work began in 1996. Construction began in November 1999 at Amsteg . Drilling operations were completed in March 2011. Completed in 2016,
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3584-666: The French . The canton minted its own currency , the Ticinese franco , between 1813 and 1850, when it began the use of the Swiss franc . As a particularly poor region, Ticino was a land of emigration. Notable examples include the chocolatiers ( cioccolatieri ) of the Val Blenio , who migrated throughout Europe (see Swiss chocolate#History ). Until 1878 the three largest cities, Bellinzona, Lugano and Locarno, alternated as capital of
3696-577: The Gotthard in particular, by using intermodal freight transport and rolling highways (where the entire truck is transported). The GBT substantially contributes to the requirements of both laws and enables a direct flat route from the ports of the North Sea (notably Rotterdam) to those of the Mediterranean Sea (notably Genoa), via the Rhine corridor. Although the technical maximum speed
3808-844: The Gotthard Road Tunnel and the finalization of the northern part of A2 motorway through the Urner Reusstal (in close proximity to the railway), with many additional tunnels (then leading from Basel to the Gotthard Road Tunnel), in 1980. With the completion in 1986 of the A2 motorway in the Valle Leventina , the main valley leading from Airolo down to Bellinzona , and the surmounting of the Monte Ceneri between Bellinzona and Lugano in 1983, finally
3920-743: The Maggia Valley , Lugano and Mendrisio were annexed. Subsequently, the upper valley of the river Ticino , from the St. Gotthard to the town of Biasca ( Leventina Valley ) was part of Uri. The remaining territory ( Baliaggi Ultramontani , Ennetbergische Vogteien , the Bailiwicks Beyond the Mountains) was administered by the Twelve Cantons. These districts were governed by bailiffs holding office for two years and purchasing it from
4032-833: The Moesa in the Mesolcina Valley in the Grisons . The lands of most of the canton are shaped by the river, which in its mid portion forms a wide valley, commonly known as the Riviera . The western lands of the canton, however, are drained by the Maggia . The Verzasca Valley is between the Leventina Valley and the Maggia Valley. There is also a smaller area that drains directly into the Lake Lugano . Most of
4144-656: The Novena Pass to Lake Maggiore . Known as Ticinus in Roman times, the river appears on the Tabula Peutingeriana as Ticenum . Johann Kaspar Zeuss attributed Celtic origins to the name, tracing it to the Celtic tek , itself from an Indo-European root tak , meaning "melting, flowing". The official name of the canton is Republic and Canton of Ticino ( Italian : Repubblica e Cantone Ticino ), and
4256-612: The Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino , is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation . It is composed of eight districts and its capital city is Bellinzona . It is also traditionally divided into the Sopraceneri and the Sottoceneri , respectively north and south of Monte Ceneri . Red and blue are the colours of its flag. Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. It
4368-719: The Saint-Gotthard Massif and the Lugano Prealps . The longest and deepest valleys are those of the Ticino, Verzasca and Maggia. The two highest mountains are the Rheinwaldhorn and the Basòdino . Other notable mountains are Pizzo Rotondo (highest of the Gotthard Massif), Pizzo Campo Tencia (highest fully within the canton), Monte Generoso (highest south of Lake Lugano) and Monte Tamaro (most prominent of
4480-427: The canton of Uri until 1798, the year the Helvetic Republic was founded, when it became part of the new canton of Bellinzona along with the Swiss condominiums of Bellinzona, Riviera and Blenio. The condominiums of Locarno, Lugano, Mendrisio and Vallemaggia became part of the new canton of Lugano in 1798. These two cantons formed into one canton, Ticino, in 1803 when it joined the (restored) Swiss Confederation as
4592-555: The canton of Uri , but subsequently lost. Uri conquered the Leventina Valley in 1440. In a second conquest Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden gained the town of Bellinzona and the Riviera in 1500. Some of the land and Bellinzona itself were previously annexed by Uri in 1419 but lost again in 1422. The third conquest was fought by troops from the entire Confederation (at that time constituted by 12 cantons). In 1512 Locarno ,
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4704-669: The canton of the Grisons . The current Constitution of the Republic and Canton of Ticino, originating from a draft approved on 18 August 1801 during the Helvetic Republic, was approved on 14 December 1997. In its preamble , it states that it was created by the Ticinese people ( popolo ) "in order to guaranty peaceful life together with respect for the dignity of man, fundamental liberties and social justice (...) faithful to its historic task to interpret Italian culture within
4816-539: The fashion industry due to its closeness to Milan . Hugo Boss , Gucci , VF Corporation and other popular brands are located there. Because the international fashion business has become a significant employer for Swiss and Italians alike, the region has also been termed the "Fashion Valley". Three of the world's largest gold refineries are based in Ticino, including the Pamp refinery in Castel San Pietro ,
4928-554: The incidents section. The realization of the GBT, as the centrepiece of the NRLA , is also a prototypical example of direct democracy in Switzerland. In order to accomplish this mega-project the political institutions also had to overcome many parliamentary sessions and several major popular votes , including the following: The safety requirements on the rolling stock are similar to those of other long Swiss tunnels, including
5040-407: The main chain of the Alps , and is the main drainage divide between the Rhine and the Po . For a few kilometres, the tunnel passes below two western tributaries of the Brenno in the Valle Santa Maria before crossing the last range, west of the Passo Predèlp (about 2,500 m (8,200 ft)) and east of Faido . It then follows the eastern slopes of the large Valle Leventina , the valley of
5152-456: The southern parts of the Grisons . In 2020, Ticino had a population of 350,986. The largest city is Lugano , and the two other notable centres are Bellinzona and Locarno . While the geography of the Sopraceneri region is marked by the High Alps and Lake Maggiore , that of the Sottoceneri is marked by the Alpine foothills and Lake Lugano . The canton, which has become one of the major tourist destinations of Switzerland, distinguishes itself from
5264-399: The 100,000th transit. Around two-thirds of the passages were freight trains and the remaining quota were passenger trains, both national and international. The number of projected trains per day was 180–260 freight trains and 50 (65 from 2020) passenger trains. After the opening of the tunnel there was an increase in passengers crossing the trans-alpine line, with 2.3 million passengers in
5376-401: The 13th century, the 2,106 m-high (6,909 ft) Gotthard Pass has been an important trade route from northern to southern Europe. Control of its access routes led to the birth of the Swiss Confederacy . The Gotthard Pass is located halfway between Lake Lucerne and Lake Maggiore . It is the shortest link between the navigable Rhine and the Po . Before modern transport, the traverse of
5488-467: The Alpine barrier, especially for freight on the Rotterdam–Basel–Genoa corridor, and more specifically to shift freight volumes from trucks to freight trains. This both significantly reduces the danger of fatal road crashes involving trucks, and reduces the environmental damage caused by heavy trucks. The tunnel also provides a faster connection between the canton of Ticino and the rest of Switzerland, as well as between northern and southern Europe, cutting
5600-428: The Alps, the Glarus Alps and the Saint-Gotthard Massif , with the valley of the Anterior Rhine , the Surselva in the canton of Graubünden , between them. The tunnel passes under these two ranges more than 2,000 m (6,562 ft) below the Chrüzlistock (2,709 m or 8,888 ft) and the Piz Vatgira (2,983 m or 9,787 ft, near the Lukmanier Pass ). While the cantons of Uri and Ticino are part of
5712-468: The Amsteg section, two in the Sedrun section, and three each in the southernmost Faido and Bodio sections. In 2016, several events, including festivities and special exhibitions, were held around the Gotthard, culminating in the inaugurations in early June, dubbed Gottardo 2016 . Public institutions joined the celebrations: Swiss Post issued a special stamp commemorating the Gotthard Base Tunnel, and Swissmint issued gold and silver coins dedicated to
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#17327806654865824-461: The GBT reduced travel times for trans-Alpine train journeys by about 40 minutes, and by one hour when the adjacent Zimmerberg and Ceneri Base Tunnels were completed. This is viewed as a revolution, especially in the isolated region of Ticino, which is separated from the rest of the country by the Alps and the Gotthard. The two stations of Bellinzona and Lugano (respectively named "Gate of Ticino" and "Terrace of Ticino") were entirely renovated for
5936-493: The Gannaretsch range below the western summit of Piz Vatgira (2,981 m (9,780 ft)). This is the deepest point of the tunnel, with a rock layer of 2,450 m (8,040 ft) above it. The tunnel then passes below the valley of the Rein da Medel (Val Medel) and west of Lai da Sontga Maria . After a few kilometres the tunnel crosses the watershed between the Anterior Rhine and the Ticino, just north of Pizzo dell'Uomo (2,525 m (8,284 ft)). This point corresponds to
6048-408: The German- and Italian-speaking areas of Switzerland respectively, the Surselva is mainly Romansh -speaking. The Alps strongly influence the European climate – and that of Switzerland in particular – and there can be substantially different weather conditions at each end of the GBT, described by the Ticinese architect Mario Botta : "The light changes at the Gotthard: that of the Mediterranean Sea
6160-419: The Gotthard . On the following weekend, popular festivities and special exhibitions, attended by more than 100,000 visitors, were held. From 2 August to 27 November 2016, the Swiss Federal Railways ran a special train service through the tunnel called "Gottardino" which was open to the public. It was a once-daily service from Flüelen railway station to Biasca railway station and in reverse. The trains made
6272-412: The Gotthard Base Tunnel connects two Alpine valleys across the Saint-Gotthard Massif : the Urner Reusstal in the canton of Uri , in which flows the river Reuss , and the Valle Leventina , the largest valley in the canton of Ticino , in which the river Ticino flows. Unlike most other tunnels, the Gotthard Base Tunnel passes under several distinct mountain massifs, two of them being major subranges of
6384-408: The Government are Claudio Zali, Raffaele De Rosa, Manuele Bertoli, Norman Gobbi and Christian Vitta. Each year, the Council of State nominates its president. The current president of the Council of State is Norman Gobbi. The most recent elections were held in April 2019; the next elections will be on 2 April 2023. The cantonal capital is Bellinzona . The Palazzo delle Orsoline on Piazza Governo
6496-424: The Helvetic Confederation" . The Grand Council ( Gran Consiglio ) is the legislative authority of the canton, exercising sovereignty over any matter not explicitly delegated by the constitution to another authority. The Gran Consiglio has 90 members called deputati (deputies), elected in a single constituency using the proportional representation system. Deputies serve four-year terms, and annually nominate
6608-405: The Reuss. There, the tunnel penetrates the western slopes of the Bälmeten and Chli Windgällen (although only marginally) before passing below the valley of the Chärstelenbach, a creek in the Maderanertal . From there, the tunnel runs parallel to the small valley of Etzli, below the Witenalpstock . The main crest of the Glarus Alps, which is the watershed between the Reuss and the Anterior Rhine,
6720-406: The Swiss average of 86,135 Swiss francs, it was still one of the wealthiest areas in Europe. Ticino also had the second highest life expectancy (85.2 years) in Europe in 2018. The Human Development Index of 0.961 in 2021 was one of the highest found anywhere in the world . The name Ticino was chosen for the newly established canton in 1803, after the river Ticino which flows through it from
6832-405: The Ticino, for about 18 km (11 mi) to the south portal at Bodio , at an elevation of 312 m (1,024 ft), just 3 km (1.9 mi) before Biasca , where the Brenno converges with the Ticino. The closest railway stations to the portals are Altdorf and Biasca . The first regularly served railway stations on the base line (as of 2016/17) are those of Arth-Goldau ( Schwyz ),
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#17327806654866944-519: The ability for the emergency brake to be overridden. On 10th August 2023, a freight train heading north derailed inside the tunnel causing it to be shut. Trains scheduled to use the tunnel were either cancelled or redirected via the "panorama route" which added around one to two hours to journeys. Since the alternate route was unable to accommodate bi-level equipment, passenger capacity was reduced by around two thirds. According to an SBB press conference, around 8km of tracks, 20,000 concrete sleepers and
7056-412: The base tunnel is used for InterCity trains ( ICN ) and EuroCity trains ( EC ), the vertex line remains in use for regional trains. Since 2019, the Gotthard axis is served by the Stadler EC250 (Giruno) high-speed train and future flagship of the SBB fleet. From the Amsteg portal, guided tours are organised inside the Gotthard Base Tunnel complex. A window allows visitors to watch the trains running in
7168-469: The base tunnel level. A proposal to construct a functioning railway station, called Porta Alpina (from Romansh , "Alpine Gate"), at this site was evaluated, but the project was put on hold in 2007 and definitively cancelled by the federal authorities in 2012 as uneconomical. The final breakthrough in the east tube occurred on 15 October 2010 at 14:17 +02:00. The final breakthrough in the west tube occurred on 23 March 2011 at 12:20. On 30 August 2013,
7280-459: The breakage has not yet been determined. External influence or fatigue fracture are possible explanations. The wheel fragments will be subjected to metallurgical analysis to determine the cause. Despite the broken wheel, the wagon was dragged by the train for several kilometers. At the switching point of the multi-functional station, where trains can switch between the two tubes of the tunnel, the wagon derailed, pulling more than 20 following wagons off
7392-408: The canton . In winter, skiing is popular in the highest locations, notably in Airolo and Bosco/Gurin . In the lower regions, especially around Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano, vineyards, olive trees and other fruits common to southern Europe are grown. Several types of cold hardy palm trees and other subtropical species may be grown here, and although none are native, their presence in the ecosystem
7504-407: The canton allowing for the Grand Council of Ticino to promote and lead in deciding on mergers. This has resulted in changes to some of the circles, with many circles now consisting of just one or two municipalities. The most populous municipality – Lugano (having merged with numerous other municipalities) – is subdivided into quartieri (quarters) which are grouped into three (cantonal) circles. In
7616-414: The canton can experience severe droughts in both summer and winter, making it the region most affected by forest fires in the country. The climate of Ticino is highly diverse as elevations range from Lake Maggiore, affected by subtropical climate , to the high Alps, affected by subarctic and tundra climate . Therefore, similarly to the rest of Switzerland, many different types of ecosystems are found in
7728-443: The canton's main export market, receiving 23.1% of the total, compared to 15.8% for Italy and 9.9% for the United States. Many Italian companies relocate to Ticino, either temporarily or permanently, seeking lower taxes and an efficient bureaucracy : just as many Ticinese entrepreneurs doing business in Italy complain of red tape and widespread protectionism . The region has been attracting multinational companies particularly from
7840-429: The canton). For an exhaustive list, see list of mountains of Ticino . The area of the canton is 2,812 square kilometres (1,086 sq mi), of which about three-quarters are considered productive to trees or crops. Forests cover about a third of the area, but also the lakes Maggiore (or Verbano ) and Lugano (or Ceresio ) make up a considerable minority. The canton shares borders with three other cantons across
7952-433: The canton. In 1878, however, Bellinzona became the only and permanent capital. The 1870–1891 period saw a surge of political turbulence in Ticino, and the authorities needed the assistance of the federal government to restore order in several instances, in 1870, 1876, 1889 and 1890–1891. The current cantonal constitution dates from 1997. The previous constitution, heavily modified, was codified in 1830, nearly 20 years before
8064-678: The constitution of the Swiss Confederation . Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. With a few exceptions in the extreme north and south of the canton, it lies entirely in the Ticino basin, a tributary of the Po . Along with Valais and the Grisons , it is one of the three cantons whose territory extends into the Po basin (lands to the south of the Alps ). However, unlike the other Po basin cantons (and all other cantons), all settlements of Ticino are on
8176-456: The crash site. At the Faido station, they discovered a pile of derailed wagons. The STSB's mission is to determine the causes of accidents to ensure or improve safety, rather than to assign guilt or responsibility. The STSB believes that the derailment was likely caused by a broken wheel tread inside the tunnel. All fragments of the wheel were found, consisting of several large pieces. The cause of
8288-431: The end of the train are able to pass through the narrow mountain valleys and through spiral tunnels climbing up to the portals of the old tunnel at a height of 1,151 m (3,776 ft) above sea level. Since the GBT is in full service, standard freight trains of up to 3,600 t (7.9 × 10 ^ lb) are able to pass this natural barrier. Because of ever-increasing international truck traffic, Swiss voters chose
8400-447: The final cost was reported to be CHF 12.2 billion ( US$ 12 billion). The Gotthard Base Tunnel, with a length of 57.09 km (35.5 mi) and a total of 151.84 km (94.3 mi) of tunnels, shafts and passages, is the longest railway tunnel in the world , with a geodetic distance of 55.782 km (34.7 mi) between the two portals. It is also the first flat route through the Alps or any other major mountain range, with
8512-408: The first 8 months, an increase of 30% over the previous year. In August 2017, an average of 10,400 people crossed the tunnel daily. Train services from Italy to Switzerland through the line are expected to become faster from 2020, with the opening of the Ceneri Base Tunnel , with an expected further increase in passenger numbers. There are plans for a train service between Zürich and Milan with
8624-470: The following December. With a route length of 57.09 km (35.5 mi), it is the world's longest railway and deepest traffic tunnel and the first flat, low-level route through the Alps. It lies at the heart of the Gotthard axis and constitutes the third tunnel connecting the cantons of Uri and Ticino , after the Gotthard Tunnel and the Gotthard Road Tunnel . The GBT consists of
8736-463: The gross cantonal product. Because of Ticino's shared language and culture, its financial industry has very close ties to Italy. In 2017, Ticino had an unemployment rate of 4%, higher than the Switzerland average which was estimated at 3.7%. Frontalieri , commuter workers living in Italy (mostly in the provinces of Varese and Como ) but working regularly in Ticino, form a large part (over 20%) of
8848-578: The inauguration of the Gotthard Railway Tunnel , the travel time between Altdorf and Biasca was reduced dramatically to only hours, though often accompanied with overnight stays in large Fin de siècle -hotels, for example in Biasca. In those days, it was still an adventure and it was only affordable to the rich. Electrification of the railway line in 1922 significantly reduced travel time again. Refilling water boilers of steam locomotives
8960-482: The land is considered within the Alps, but a small area is part of the plain of the Po which drains the north of Italy . Although it includes the lowest point of Switzerland (Lake Maggiore) as well as its lowest town ( Ascona ), the topography of Ticino is extremely rugged, as it is the canton with the fourth largest elevation difference . It lies essentially within the Alps, in particular the Lepontine Alps ,
9072-646: The largest city, is in the densely populated Sottoceneri, the two other main cities, Bellinzona and Locarno , are in the Sopraceneri. The Ticino, which gives its name to the canton, is the largest river of Ticino. It flows from the northwest through the Bedretto Valley and the Leventina Valley to enter Lake Maggiore near Locarno . Its main tributaries are the Brenno in the Blenio Valley and
9184-503: The leading manufacturer of minted gold bars. Large companies based in the canton include: Bally , Hupac . The opening of the Gotthard Railway in 1882 led to the establishment of a sizeable tourist industry mostly catering to German speakers, although since the early 2000s the industry has suffered from the competition of more distant destinations. In 2011, 1,728,888 overnight stays were recorded. The mild climate throughout
9296-778: The main ridge of the Alps: Valais to the northwest, to which it is connected by the Nufenen Pass , Uri to the north, to which it is connected by the Gotthard Pass and the Grisons to the northeast, to which it is connected by the Lukmanier Pass and the Mesolcina Valley; the latter valley, a few kilometres north of Bellinzona, being the only (natural) low elevation access to another canton. Ticino shares international borders with Italy as well. To
9408-533: The members of the League. The lands of the canton of Ticino are the last lands to be conquered by the Swiss Confederation . The Confederation gave up any further conquests after their defeat at the battle of Marignano in 1515 by Francis I of France . The Valle Leventina revolted unsuccessfully against Uri in 1755. In February 1798 an attempt of annexation by the Cisalpine Republic was repelled by
9520-518: The modern canton of Ticino. Because of its unusual position, the canton relies on important infrastructure for connection with the rest of the country. The first major north–south railway link across the Alps, the Gotthard Railway , opened in 1882. In 2016, the Gotthard Base Tunnel was inaugurated, which finally provided a fully flat route through the Alps. The GDP per capita of Ticino was 83,450 Swiss francs in 2020. Despite being below
9632-480: The modern day, the circle serves only as a territorial unit with limited public functions, most notably the local judiciary. Religion in canton of Ticino (age 15+, 2012) Ticino has a population (as of 31 December 2020) of 350,986. As of 2013 , the population included 94,366 foreigners, or about 27.2% of the total population. The largest groups of foreign population were Italians (46.2%), followed by Croats (6.5%) and Portuguese (5.9%). The population density (in 2005)
9744-478: The northeast; the latter canton being also the only one to share some borders with Ticino at the level of the plains. The canton shares international borders with Italy as well, including a small Italian enclave . Named after the Ticino , its longest river, it is the only canton where Italian is the sole official language and represents the bulk of the Italian-speaking area of Switzerland along with
9856-546: The only Swiss islands south of the Alps, and house botanical gardens with 1,600 different plant species from five continents. Gotthard Base Tunnel The Gotthard Base Tunnel ( GBT ; German : Gotthard-Basistunnel , Italian : Galleria di base del San Gottardo , Romansh : Tunnel da basa dal Sogn Gottard ) is a railway tunnel through the Alps in Switzerland . It opened in June 2016 and full service began
9968-640: The opening of the GBT, among other improvements. As of 2016, the Gotthard Base Tunnel is the longest railway tunnel in the world . It is the third Swiss tunnel to bear this title, after the Gotthard Tunnel (15 km or 9.3 mi, 1882) and the Simplon Tunnel (19.8 km or 12.3 mi, 1905). It is the third tunnel built under the Gotthard, after the Gotthard Tunnel and the Gotthard Road Tunnel. AlpTransit Gotthard AG
10080-575: The opening. On 31 May 2016, a day before the inauguration, the nine people who died during construction were commemorated in a ceremony at the north portal in Erstfeld that was led by a Catholic vicar general , a vicar of the Evangelical-Reformed Church of Uri , a Jewish rabbi, and a Muslim imam. A bronze memorial plaque with their names — four coming from Germany, three from Italy, and one from each of South Africa and Austria –
10192-428: The other tunnel tube. Following the reopening of the undamaged northern third of the western tube, additional freight and passenger services were scheduled to use the tunnel, with a full reopening and a return to normal service commencing on 2nd September 2024. Since the opening date on 1 June 2016, between 130 and 160 trains on an average working day operated through the Gotthard Base Tunnel, which in March 2019 marked
10304-579: The pass took days, and snow makes it a challenge in winter. Quite late, compared to other current top-importance routes through the Alps (e.g. Simplon , San Bernardino , Brenner , Mont Cenis ), namely in 1830, the first Saint-Gotthard Pass road was established after centuries-long usage of a bridle path . From 1842 onwards, a daily course by the Gotthard Post , a stagecoach drawn by five horses with ten seats, still took about 23 hours from Como to Flüelen . It would last until 1921. In 1882, with
10416-608: The population adhered to another religion (including Jews 0.1%). The official language, and the one used for most written communication, is Swiss Italian . Despite being very similar to standard Italian , Swiss Italian presents some differences to the Italian spoken in Italy due to the influence of French and German from which it assimilates words. Dialects of the Lombard language such as Ticinese are still spoken, especially in
10528-467: The region. In the lower areas, deciduous forests are omnipresent, while at high elevations they tend to be replaced by coniferous forests, except in the Sottoceneri ( Lugano Prealps ), where they are almost absent. The treeline is located at around 2,000 metres in the Sopraceneri and 1,600 metres in the Sottoceneri. The Basòdino , Ticino's second-highest mountain, is covered by the largest glacier of
10640-522: The rest of the country by its warm climate, and its culture and gastronomy. The land now occupied by the canton was annexed from Italian cities in the 15th century by various Swiss forces in the last transalpine campaigns of the Old Swiss Confederacy . In the Helvetic Republic , established in 1798, it was divided between the two new cantons of Bellinzona and Lugano . The Act of Mediation in 1803 saw these two cantons combine to form
10752-407: The river water is usually dark gray. This Graubünden location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to a river in Switzerland is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Ticino Ticino ( / t ɪ ˈ tʃ iː n oʊ / tih- CHEE -noh ), sometimes Tessin ( / t ɛ ˈ s iː n , t ɛ ˈ s æ̃ / ), officially
10864-516: The south side of the Alps, therefore separated from the Swiss Plateau (and most of the country) by the great Alpine barrier. The canton also comprehends some small areas in the Rhine basin in the north, at the Gotthard Pass and around lake of Santa Maria . The extreme south of the canton is drained by the Po as well, but through the Breggia and Adda , and Gaggiolo, Olona , Lambro . The canton
10976-493: The southwest is the region of Piedmont and to the southeast is the region of Lombardy . The main border crossing between Italy and Switzerland is that of Chiasso , in the extreme south of the canton. The climate of Ticino is mostly influenced by the Mediterranean Sea, the Alps protecting it from north European weather. As a consequence, the plains experience warm and moist summers, and mild winters. This climate
11088-416: The tracks. The tunnel's repair work was extensive. Originally expected to be completed by the end of 2023, it was announced in November 2023 that the repairs would not be finished before September 2024, with the tunnel operating at reduced capacity until then. This was due to repairs requiring a complete replacement of seven kilometers of rails, including 20,000 sleeper blocks and their concrete foundations,
11200-414: The tunnel was entirely traversed for the first time from Bodio to Erstfeld in six hours, by diesel train, buses and by foot. On 16 December 2013, the operational test phase started on a 13-kilometre (8.1 mi) stretch in the southern section of the west tube between Faido and Bodio. Its purpose was to test the infrastructure and any ancillary systems. On 31 October 2014, the railway track installation
11312-502: The tunnel. On 10 August 2023, a freight train derailed while traveling through the tunnel, causing extensive damage to the tunnel infrastructure. The incident occurred near the multi-functional station of Faido, in the canton of Ticino. No one was injured, and no hazardous materials were released. The derailment caused significant damage to the tunnel, prompting its closure to both passenger and freight traffic. The tunnel returned to normal service on 2 September 2024. See more information in
11424-469: The tunnels in the two multifunction stations at Sedrun and Faido . These stations house ventilation equipment and technical infrastructure and serve as emergency stops and evacuation routes. Access to the Sedrun station site is by a level access tunnel 1 km (0.6 mi) long from the valley floor near Sedrun. At the end of the access tunnel, two vertical shafts lead 800 m (2,625 ft) down to
11536-633: The two-letter code is TI. It is one of the four cantons of Switzerland officially referred to as "republics", along with Geneva , Neuchâtel and Jura . During the Bronze and Iron Ages , the area of what is today Ticino was settled by the Lepontii , a Celtic tribe. Later, probably around the rule of Augustus , it became part of the Roman Empire . After the fall of the Western Empire, it
11648-540: The valleys, but they are not used for official purposes. Despite the dominance of Italian speakers, fluency in Standard or Swiss German is sometimes taken to be an important prerequisite for employment, regardless of sector or sphere of work. In 2016, Ticino was the European region with the second highest life expectancy at 85.0 years, and the highest male life expectancy at 82.7 years. The historical population
11760-568: The workforce, far larger than in the rest of Switzerland, where the rate is below 5%. Foreigners in general hold 44.3% of all the jobs, again a much higher rate than elsewhere in the Confederation (27%). Frontalieri are usually paid less than Swiss workers for their jobs, and tend to serve as low-cost labour. Italy is by far Ticino's most important foreign trading partner, but there's a huge trade deficit between imports (5 billion CHF ) and exports (1.9 billion). By 2013, Germany had become
11872-759: The year makes the canton a popular destination for hikers. The high Alps of Ticino include numerous tourist facilities such as the Monte Generoso Railway , the Ritom Funicular and the Cardada Cableway. Among other tourist attractions are the Verzasca Dam , popular with bungee jumpers, and Swissminiatur in Melide , a miniature park featuring scale models of over 120 Swiss monuments. The Brissago Islands on Lake Maggiore are
11984-533: Was 5,091 francs (US$ 5,580), below the national average of 6,118 francs (US$ 6,703). However, due to lesser cost of living and lower taxation compared to most other cantons, the overall disposable mean income is high. The GDP per capita at 82,438 francs in 2014, was seventh highest in Switzerland. Ticino is counted among the most prosperous regions of Switzerland and of Europe. Lugano is Switzerland's third largest financial centre after Zurich and Geneva. The banking industry alone has 8,400 employees and generates 17% of
12096-542: Was completed. A gold sleeper on the very last part of the track was installed during the event to mark this milestone of progress. On 1 October 2015, following permission by the Federal Office of Transport, the first tests on the entire length of the GBT were performed, with steadily increasing speed. On 8 November, a train reached the top speed of 275 km/h (171 mph). The contracts were awarded in sections: Nine workers died during construction; one in
12208-549: Was no longer necessary. There were also the technical advantages of electrical engines and future technical improvements. From 1924, car transport on trains through the railway tunnel began. The road between Göschenen and Airolo over the summit of the pass, comporting notably the Schöllenen ravine and the Tremola , had countless hairpin turns and serpentine curves, dropping 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in altitude. It posed
12320-456: Was responsible for construction. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS) . To cut construction time in half, four access tunnels were built so that construction could start at four different sites simultaneously: Erstfeld, Amsteg, Sedrun, and Faido. A fifth at Bodio was added later. The two tunnels are joined approximately every 325 m (1,066 ft) by connecting galleries. Trains can move between
12432-718: Was ruled by the Ostrogoths , the Lombards and the Franks . Around 1100 it was the centre of a struggle between the free communes of Milan and Como : in the 14th century, it was acquired by the Visconti , Dukes of Milan . In the fifteenth century, the Swiss Confederates conquered the valleys south of the Alps in three separate conquests. Between 1403 and 1422 some of these lands were already annexed by forces from
12544-513: Was unveiled by AlpTransit Gotthard AG CEO Renzo Simoni. A Catholic shrine to Saint Barbara , the patron of miners, stands inside the tunnel as a memorial. The tunnel was officially inaugurated on 1 June 2016. At the northern entrance in Erstfeld, President of the Confederation Johann Schneider-Ammann spoke of a "giant step for Switzerland but equally for our neighbours and the rest of the continent", while
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