Chiasso

Coat of arms

Chiasso

Location of Chiasso

Coordinates: 45°50′N 9°02′E / 45.833°N 9.033°ECoordinates: 45°50′N 9°02′E / 45.833°N 9.033°E

Country

Government

• Mayor

Bruno Arrigoni

Area

• Total

5.33 km² (2.06 sq mi)

Elevation

230 m (750 ft)

Population (Dec 2015)

• Total

8,174

• Density

1,500/km² (4,000/sq mi)

Postal code

6830

SFOS number

5250

Surrounded by

Balerna, Cavallasca (IT-CO), Como (IT-CO), Drezzo (IT-CO), Morbio Inferiore, Novazzano, Parè (IT-CO), Ronago (IT-CO), Vacallo

Website

www.chiasso.ch
SFSO statistics

Chiasso (Italian pronunciation: [ˈkjasso], or commonly in Lombard: Ciass [tʃas]) is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.

As the southernmost of Switzerland's municipalities, Chiasso is located at the border with Italy, in front of Ponte Chiasso (a Frazione of Como, Italy). The municipality of Chiasso includes the villages of Boffalora, Pedrinate and Seseglio.

In 2007, the three mayors of Chiasso, Vacallo and Morbio Inferiore decided to unite into one commune. The new united commune with a population of approximately 15,300 people over a territory of 9.2 km², was rejected by the population in November 2007.

Chiasso is first mentioned in 1140 as Claso.

Historically, Chiasso and Boffalora were two distinct agricultural villages. Because of the presence of the nearby Italian border and customs office, and later as part of an access route to the St. Gotthard's Tunnel, the two villages merged and grew.

Chiasso's history and development were strongly influenced by its unique location. During its early history, a castle was built in Chiasso as part of the extended fortifications of the city of Como. It was a suburb of Como, until 1416 when it was incorporated in the Pieve of Balerna and given to the Rusca family to manage. The houses in the village center were owned by the Albrici family and were granted imperial privileges. Chiasso had become an independent community sometime before 1552. In the contemporary documents, it is mentioned as Clasio tabernarum (Chiasso of taverns) referring to its function as a transit point.

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Wikipedia