Blenio

Blenio
Coat of arms
Blenio Show map of Switzerland Blenio Show map of Canton of Ticino
Location of Blenio
Coordinates: 46°32′N 8°57′E / 46.533°N 8.950°E / 46.533; 8.950Coordinates: 46°32′N 8°57′E / 46.533°N 8.950°E / 46.533; 8.950
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Ticino
District	Blenio
Government
• Mayor	Claudia Boschetti Staub
Area
• Total	202.06 km2 (78.02 sq mi)
Elevation	902 m (2,959 ft)
Population (Dec 2015)
• Total	1,783
• Density	8.8/km2 (23/sq mi)
Postal code	6718
SFOS number	5049
Localities	Aquila, Campo Blenio, Ghirone, Olivone and Torre
Surrounded by	Malvaglia, Acquarossa, Faido, Campello, Calpiogna, Mairengo, Osco, Quinto, Medel (Lucmagn) (GR), Vrin (GR), Vals (GR), Hinterrhein (GR)
Website	www.comuneblenio.ch SFSO statistics

Blenio is a municipality of the district of Blenio, in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.

Blenio was created on 22 October 2006 when it incorporated the formerly autonomous municipalities of Aquila, Campo Blenio, Ghirone, Olivone and Torre of the upper Blenio valley.

A legal challenge to the merger was raised by Aquila, but was rejected by the Federal Court on 18 April 2006.

Aquila is first mentioned in 1196 as Aquili. Ghirone is first mentioned in 1200 as Agairono. Olivone is first mentioned in 1193 as Alivoni, then in 1205 it was mentioned as Orivono. In Romansh it was known as Luorscha.

Around 1200, the settlement of Ghirone belonged Aquila. The present borders were established in 1853 with the final separation of the two municipalities. The parish church of San Vittore was built in 1213. It was rebuilt in 1728-30. One important source of income for the village came from money sent back by emigrants from the village to other European countries (often as chocolate makers, waiters, servants). Starting in 1914 many of the inhabitants of Aquila worked in the chocolate factory Cima-Norma in Torre Arbeit. In addition the residents also often farmed land and raised livestock. The closure of the factory in 1968 led to a large population decline. In 1990, about 39% of the population worked in manufacturing, while 49% worked in the services sector. About 60% of the worker commuted out of the village.

In 1334, Disentis Abbey acquired rights over all the land in Ghirone. The village was part of the community of Aquila, and in 1803 it merged with the municipality of Ghirone. Then, in 1836, Buttino and Ghirone separated from Aquila and together founded their own community. Buttino was inhabited until the late 19th Century and was an autonomous village as far back as the 13th Century. The two municipalities rejoined Aquila in 1842 and 1846 and finally separated in 1853. The Citizens Community (Patriziato), which still bears the name of Ghirone-Buttino was founded in 1914.