Prato (Leventina)

Coat of arms

Prato (Leventina)

Location of Prato (Leventina)

Coordinates: 46°29′N 8°45′E / 46.483°N 8.750°ECoordinates: 46°29′N 8°45′E / 46.483°N 8.750°E

Country

Government

• Mayor

Sindaco

Area

• Total

16.85 km² (6.51 sq mi)

Elevation

1,043 m (3,422 ft)

Population (Dec 2016)

• Total

424

• Density

25/km² (65/sq mi)

Postal code

6773

SFOS number

5078

Localities

Fiesso, Mascengo, Morasco, Rodi

Surrounded by

Dalpe, Lavizzara, Osco, Quinto

Website

pratoleventina.ch
SFSO statistics

Prato (Leventina) is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.

Prato (Leventina) is first mentioned in 1211 as de Prato. In German it used to be known as Pratt, though this name is no longer used. Between 1902 and 1939 it was known as Prato-Fiesso. The village may have grown up around a Sust (an alpine warehouse and administrative center) along the Gotthard road. The village was the center of a Vicinanza which consisted of the Degagne of Prato, Fiesso and until 1866, Dalpe. The villages played an important part in the organization of the mule traders that traveled over the passes. They retained a leading role until 1820, when the first cantonal road was built over the pass. In 1561, the Dazio Grande was built in Rodi. It was used until 1834 used as a customs house and also as a Sust. The same foundation of the building was used in 1999 for a cultural center.

The parish church of San Giorgio is first mentioned in 1210. The church has a romanesque tower and stucco from the 17th Century. It was renovated in the 1950s.

Traditionally, the local economy relied grazing. However, in the past century, the village has become a popular summer and winter tourist destination. In the hamlet of Rodi is the Tremorgio power plant (1918–26), and a cable car, built in 1928, that connects the valley with Lago Tremorgio. In 2005 two thirds of jobs in the municipality were in industry and a quarter were in the services sectors. In 2000, over half the labor force commutes.

Prato (Leventina) has an area, as of 1997^[update], of 16.85 square kilometers (6.51 sq mi). Of this area, 1.06 km² (0.41 sq mi) or 6.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while 7.9 km² (3.1 sq mi) or 46.9% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.49 km² (0.19 sq mi) or 2.9% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.53 km² (0.20 sq mi) or 3.1% is either rivers or lakes and 4.91 km² (1.90 sq mi) or 29.1% is unproductive land.

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Wikipedia