Brè () is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

on the eastern slopes of the mountain of

Monte Brè Monte Brè (925 m) is a small mountain east of Lugano on the flank of Monte Boglia (1,516 m) with a view of the bay of Lugano and the Pennine Alps and the Bernese Alps. It is considered one of the sunniest points in Switzerland. Since 1912, t ...

, in the

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internation ...

canton of Ticino Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...

. Politically the village forms part of the Brè-Aldesago quarter of the city of Lugano, although until 1972 Brè-Aldesago was an independent municipality, known simply as Brè until 1953. The village of Brè was first recorded in 1280 as ''de Bre'', and for most of its history has lived by agriculture and livestock. Until 1912, the only access to the village was on foot or by mule, but in that year Brè was reached by a road from Lugano, and the

Monte Brè funicular The Monte Brè funicular, or ''Funicolare Cassarate - Monte Brè'', is a funicular railway in the city of Lugano in the Swiss canton of Ticino. The line links a lower station in the Lugano suburb of Cassarate with an upper station at the summi ...

was opened between Lugano and the summit of

. Subsequently Brè has become a resort and residential suburb. Brè is accessed by a steep and winding road from Lugano. This first climbs to the village of Aldesago, before crossing the southern slopes of

to reach Brè village.

Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi (TPL) is a public transport operator in and around the Swiss city of Lugano. Previously known as the Società luganese dei tramway elettrici, Tranvie elettriche comunali, Azienda comunale del traffico (ACT) and Azienda ...

(TPL) bus route 12 operates along this road from Lugano city centre to Brè village, with one or two buses per hour. The

, which connects the Lugano suburb of

Cassarate Cassarate is a village on the northern shore of Lake Lugano, to the east of the outfall of the Cassarate River, in the Swiss canton of Ticino Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Can ...

, itself served by frequent city buses, to the summit of Monte Brè, serves a stop known as Brè Villagio, although this is a walk from the village itself. The funicular runs every half-hour. The Wilhelm Schmid Museum, in the village, is the former residence of Wilhelm Schmid (1892–1971) and today contains a collection of his works. Schmid was the only Swiss painter of the northern

Magical Realism Magical is the adjective for magic. It may also refer to: * Magical (horse) (foaled 2015), Irish Thoroughbred racehorse * "Magical" (song), released in 1985 by John Parr * '' Magical: Disney's New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations'', ...

style. The village is also home to an artistic trail that includes the works of 20 nationally and internationally acclaimed artists. The parish church of Saints Simon and Fedele is first mentioned in 1591, in an account of a visit by

Feliciano Ninguarda Feliciano (spelled Felizian in Germany) Ninguarda (1524 – 5 June 1595) was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate and one of the main movers of the Counter Reformation. He was bishop of Scala, bishop of Sant’Agata de’ Goti, bishop of Como, g ...

, then bishop of Como. It is believed, however, to date back to medieval times, and the tower, located in the southeast corner of the basilica, has Romanesque blind arches on its base. The church contains artistic works from different eras, including 17th-century

fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...

s and 20th-century paintings by Jozeph Birò, a Hungarian painter and one-time resident of the village.

References

External links

*
Brè-Aldesago pages on City of Lugano web site
(in Italian) *
Site of Brè Village
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bre Lugano Villages in Ticino