Preonzo

Preonzo
Former municipality of Switzerland
The old village
Coat of arms
Preonzo Show map of Switzerland Preonzo Show map of Canton of Ticino
Location of Preonzo
Coordinates: 46°16′N 9°00′E / 46.267°N 9.000°E / 46.267; 9.000Coordinates: 46°16′N 9°00′E / 46.267°N 9.000°E / 46.267; 9.000
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Ticino
District	Bellinzona
Government
• Mayor	Sindaco
Area
• Total	16.45 km2 (6.35 sq mi)
Elevation	250 m (820 ft)
Population (November 2010)
• Total	553
• Density	34/km2 (87/sq mi)
Postal code	6523
SFOS number	5015
Surrounded by	Claro, Cresciano, Cugnasco, Gnosca, Gorduno, Lavertezzo, Lodrino, Moleno, Monte Carasso, Vogorno
Website	SFSO statistics

Preonzo is a former municipality in the district of Bellinzona in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.

On 2 April 2017 the former municipalities of Camorino, Claro, Giubiasco, Gnosca, Gorduno, Moleno, Monte Carasso, Pianezzo, Sant'Antonio and Sementina merged into the municipality of Bellinzona.

Preonzo is first mentioned in 1335 as Prevonzo. In the 14th Century, Moleno and Preonzo formed a settlement. In 1335 it became a municipality in the County of Bellinzona. During the first conquest of the Ticino in 1403-22, it was ruled by the cantons of Uri and Obwalden. They granted the villages its statutes and customary rights (Statuti, ordini), although, in contrast to Moleno, it was not incorporated in the Levantine.

The parish church of SS Simone e Giuda was built in 1459. In the 17th century it was rebuilt and then renovated in 1963-66 and 1996-97. It broke away from the Church of S. Vittore in Moleno in 1545. Together with Gnosca and Moleno it was one of the three churches that used the Ambrosian Rite in the County of Bellinzona.

Traditionally, the village economy was based mostly on alpine pasturage and agriculture. However, by 2005, only 13% of jobs were in agriculture, while 56% were in manufacturing. More than three-quarters of workers commuted to Biasca and Bellinzona.