Gerra (Verzasca) is a part of the municipality of Cugnasco-Gerra in the district of Locarno in the

canton Canton may refer to: Administrative division terminology * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and ent ...

of Ticino in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. Gerra was an independent municipality until January 1, 2009, when it merged with Cugnasco to form Cugnasco-Gerra.

Location

It consisted of Gerra Piano and Agarone, exclaves in the

Magadino Plain Magadino is a former municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 25 April 2010, the former municipalities of Caviano, Contone, Gerra Gambarogno, Indemini, Magadino, Piazzogna, San Nazzaro, Sant'Abbondio a ...

, and the main part (Gerra Valle) of the municipality in the Verzasca valley.

History

Gerra is first mentioned in 1387 as ''Giera''. Until 1852, it was part of

Brione Brione may refer to the following places: ;in Italy * Brione, Lombardy, a ''comune'' in the Province of Brescia *Brione, Trentino, a ''comune'' in the Province of Trento ;in Switzerland: * Brione, Switzerland a ''comune'' in the Canton of Ticino * ...

. The exclaves were assigned to Gerra in 1920, when the scattered landholdings of Locarno, Minusio and Mergoscia in the Terricciole plains were separated from the cities. In 1742, the parish of Gerra was created when it separated from Brione. The church of San Giovanni Evangelista already existed in the 15th Century but was destroyed twice: in the late 16th Century by a landslide and 1817 by a flood. The present church dates to 1819. The Church of Sacro Cuore in Gerra Piano was built in 1930. In Gerra Valle there is a mill dating from the 16th century, and a house from 1470. The inhabitants lived on agriculture and livestock. Since the 14th Century, there have been annual summer cattle drives to the Alpine pastures. They spent the winters in the Magadino or Sottoceneri valleys. Due to limited agricultural land, portions of the population has emigrated since the 17th Century. Between 1860 and 1874 about a quarter of the population emigrated. In the late 20th and early 21st Centuries the population rose due to the development of Gerra Piano to an important local center. However, in the valley the population has declined.

Location

History

Historic population

References

External links