Meride

Meride
Former municipality of Switzerland
Camino Spinirolo near Meride village
Coat of arms
Meride Show map of Switzerland Meride Show map of Canton of Ticino
Location of Meride
Coordinates: 45°53′N 8°56′E / 45.883°N 8.933°E / 45.883; 8.933Coordinates: 45°53′N 8°56′E / 45.883°N 8.933°E / 45.883; 8.933
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Ticino
District	Mendrisio
Area
• Total	7.46 km2 (2.88 sq mi)
Elevation	583 m (1,913 ft)
Population (Dec 2011)
• Total	314
• Density	42/km2 (110/sq mi)
Postal code	6866
SFOS number	5255
Surrounded by	Arzo, Besano (IT-VA), Brusino Arsizio, Porto Ceresio (IT-VA), Riva San Vitale, Saltrio (IT-VA), Tremona, Viggiù (IT-VA)
Website	www.meride.ch SFSO statistics

Meride is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 14 April 2013 the former municipalities of Besazio, Ligornetto and Meride merged into the municipality of Mendrisio.

Meride is first mentioned in 852 as Melede. In 1430 it was mentioned as Merede.

The area around Meride is of great interest to geologists and paleontologists, due to a Triassic chalk formation, the so-called Meridekalk. Excavation projects at the Monte San Giorgio in the chalk have discovered several new fossils.

In 963, the Benedictine abbey of S. Ambrogio in Milan gave their property and farms in Meride to the monastery of San Pietro in Lodi. During the Middle Ages it was part of the Pieve of Riva San Vitale. It formed, along with Besazio and Tremona, a Terzi (third) of the Pieve. The Terzi shared the grazing and timber rights to the surrounding fields and forests.

In 1483, Meride separated from the mother church at Riva San Vitale, and became an independent parish. In the same year, the former parish church of San Silvestro, was built on a hill above the village. San Silvestro stands on the remains of what was probably a castle, and the remains of which were integrated into the church. The current parish church of San Rocco, was built in 1578, expanded in 1770–72 and restored in 1969–70. On a hill near the village, a hermitage was built by the blessed Manfredo Settala (12th century-1217). Next to the hermitage, the 13th century chapel of Saint George was built.