1.
Bissone
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Bissone is a municipality in the district of Lugano, in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. Bissone is first mentioned in 735 and again in 854 as Blixuni, in German it was known as Byssen, though that name is no longer used. In the 8th Century it was home to a Lombard garrison and supported the fortresses in Campione dItalia, starting in the 9th Century, the monastery of S. Ambrogio in Milan owned property in Bissone. The parish church of St. Carpoforo, became independent in 1474 from the mother church at Riva San Vitale. It became fully independent in 1622, but retained a relationship with the monastery of San Pietro in Ciel dOro in Pavia, the Oratory of St. Rocco was built around 1630. During the Middle Ages, at the site of todays Casa Tencalla, the castle is first mentioned in 1054. On the mountain surrounded by fortified walls, were the entrance gates to the village. Bissone was the center of the Ghibellines resistance during the dispute between Milan and Como, following the French invasion in 1798 and the end of the Old Swiss Confederacy, it became a stronghold of supporters of the Cisalpine Republic. However, on 3 March 1798 it was taken over by Pro-Swiss forces from Lugano, Bissone was the birthplace of the architect Francesco Borromini and home of numerous construction and architecture dynasties such as the Maderno, Gaggini, Tencalla and Garovaglio families. The local economy relied primarily on fishing and the fish trade. Under the Old Swiss Confederacy, Bissone, Morcote and Melide had a monopoly on selling fish in Lugano, another source of income was providing ferries across the lake. During the 14th to 17th Centuries a number of houses with impressive arcades were built for the local merchants. Later, emigration together with wine, olive and hemp cultivation became the sources of income. With the construction of the Melide causeway, carrying the road and railway from Melide, the highway was built in 1966, and separated the old village from the newer housing developments. Since 1950 the economic structure is dominated by the services sector, Bissone is part of the tourist region on Lake Lugano. Bissone has an area, as of 1997, of 1.82 square kilometers, of this area,0.22 km2 or 12. 1% is used for agricultural purposes, while 1.48 km2 or 81. 3% is forested. Of the rest of the land,0.38 km2 or 20. 9% is settled, of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 12. 1% and transportation infrastructure made up 7. 7%. While parks, green belts and sports made up 1. 1%
2.
Melide, Switzerland
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Melide is a municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. The village lies close to the mountain Monte San Salvatore and is directly on the Lake of Lugano. The Melide causeway to the east was built to make it possible to cross to Bissone, Melide is known worldwide for the famous Swissminiatur, a museum that shows famous buildings in Switzerland presented in miniature form. Melide is first mentioned in 1034 as Melede and it was originally ruled by Como. After ownership transferred to Milan in the first half of the 15th Century, in 1482, a toll and customs station is first mentioned in Melide. Until 1427 it was part of the parish of Lugano, followed by the parish of Carona and it became an independent parish in 1525. As the excavations of 1991-92 showed, the church of SS Quirico e Giulitta developed in several construction stages during the 6th and 7th Centuries. It was rebuilt in 1590 by Domenico Fontana, the S. Spirito Hospital was first mentioned in 1498 and was affiliated with Church of the S. Spirito Hospital in Rome. It was later abandoned and demolished in 1911, the Chapel of S. Croce is from 1626. In 1555 the Swiss Confederation Tagsatzung granted Melide, Bissone and Morcote a monopoly on the sale of fish in Lugano, fishing, together with agriculture and viticulture was the main sources of income in the village. The rest of the income for the village comes from the emigration of artisans and artists, including the Fontana, after the construction of the main road in 1818, a ferry opened in the settlement of La Punta the following year. The ferry helped the development of the village until the construction of the Melide causeway between 1844-47. The 817 meters long structure added a line in 1874 and since the second half of the 1960s. In the 18th Century lime kilns opened in the village, in the 19th Century various manufacturers of tobacco, alcohol, bells, boats, soap and ink opened. The tourist industry started in the 19th Century and is still an industry in Melide. In 1959, Swissminiatur, with models of Swiss towns and buildings. Melide has an area, as of 1997, of 1.67 square kilometers, of this area,0.22 km2 or 13. 2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 1.05 km2 or 62. 9% is forested. Of the rest of the land,0.57 km2 or 34. 1% is settled,0.01 km2 or 0. 6% is either rivers or lakes and 0.01 km2 or 0. 6% is unproductive land
3.
Meride
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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, 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 and it formed, along with Besazio and Tremona, a Terzi of the Pieve. The Terzi shared the grazing and timber rights to the surrounding fields, in 1483, Meride separated from the mother church at Riva San Vitale, and became an independent parish. In the same year, the 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, 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, next to the hermitage, the 13th century chapel of Saint George was built. In the past farming and grazing was the main occupation, in the 20th century the continual population decline continued, until the 1990s when new living spaces allowed the population to stabilize. In 2000 two-thirds of the population commuted to other municipalities for work. In 1973 a fossil museum opened in Meride, more recently, the summer tourism industry has gained a foothold in the village. Before the merger, Meride had an area of 7.5 km2. Of this area,0.74 km2 or 9. 9% is used for agricultural purposes, of the rest of the land,0.13 km2 or 1. 7% is settled and 0.05 km2 or 0. 7% is unproductive land. Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 0. 8%, out of the forested land,86. 3% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1. 9% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land,7. 6% is used for growing crops, the municipality is located in the Mendrisio district. It stretches from the peak of San Giorgio mountain down to the slope of the mountain. The blazon of the coat of arms is Quartered gules and argent in each chief quarters a mullet of eight counterchanged
4.
Morcote
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Morcote is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Ticino situated about 10 kilometres from Lugano in the district of Lugano on the shore of Lake Lugano. With its characteristic small alleys, the arcades of old Patrician homes, valuable architectural monuments and its natural beauty, Morcote is first mentioned historically in 926 as Murcau, which comes from the Latin Morae caput, meaning head of the hill. In 1353 it was mentioned as Murchoe and again in 1453 as Murchote, starting around 1100, Morcote was home to a castle that was built to guard and control commerce on the lake. Until the dam was built in Melide in 1847, Morcote was the largest port on Lake Lugano, goods from northern Italy were shipped across the lake to the rest of Ticino. In 1422 the town was granted privileges by the Duke of Milan, which included the rights to impose taxes, self-government, independent fishing, after the plague year of 1432, only seven families survived in the town. The town was caught between the rival powers of Milan and Como as they fought for control in Lombardy. In 1517 the region came under the control of the Old Swiss Confederation, however Morcote retained extensive rights, including judicial and tax autonomy as well as fishing rights over the entire lake. During the Late Middle Ages the major industries of Morcote included fishing, farming and shipping, during the end of the Middle Ages, artists began to move into the town as well. In 1583 the town had a parish established in the parish church Santa Maria del Sasso. In 1862, seven houses slid into the lake, during the 19th century tourism grew into a major industry in Morcote. In the late 20th and early 21st Centuries, wine production, Morcote has an area, as of 1997, of 2.8 square kilometers. Of this area,0.41 km2 or 14. 6% is used for agricultural purposes, of the rest of the land,0.43 km2 or 15. 4% is settled,0.03 km2 or 1. 1% is either rivers or lakes. Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 12. 9%, out of the forested land, all of the forested land area is covered with heavy forests. Of the agricultural land,1. 4% is used for growing crops and 12. 9% is used for alpine pastures, all the water in the municipality is in lakes. The municipality is located in the Lugano district, between Lake Lugano and Monte Arbostora and it consists of the village of Morcote, the village of Vico until 1803 and between 1803–16, Carabietta. The blazon of the coat of arms is Per fess gules a shepherdess sitting on a garb all argent and vert a sow. The entire village of Morcote is part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites, the church of Santa Maria del Sasso was probably built in the 13th century. It was completely rebuilt in 1462 in the style of the Renaissance, in 1758 it was renovated in the baroque style, while in the 18th century a monumentual staircase was added to the front of the church
5.
Riva San Vitale
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Riva San Vitale is a municipality in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland, located in the district of Mendrisio. Riva San Vitale is first mentioned in 774 as Primo Sobenno, in 1115 it was mentioned as Ripa Sancti Vitalis. The area around Riva San Vitale has probably been settled since the Neolithic, due to the number of Roman era finds, it appears that there was a significant Roman settlement. A stele from some time before the 3rd century AD mentions that it was made for the inhabitants of vicus subinates, in 1115, the Benedictine abbey of S. Abbondio in Como owned property in Riva San Vitale. During the ten-year war between Como and Milan its port was an important base for the Comasker ships, Riva San Vitale was mentioned in the Charter of Como from 1335 as a burgus. In the Late Middle Ages, it lost its position in trade to Capolago. In the 15th century it was a town for a short time. The Parish Church of St. Vitale is first mentioned in 962-966, however, the church likely dates back to the Christianization of the southern foothills of the Alps. It was rebuilt in the late Baroque style in 1756-59 and renovated in 1993-95, the Baptistery of San Giovanni is built on the foundations of a Roman building and is from the early Christian era. It was renovated in 1919-26 and again in 1953-55 and is the oldest fully preserved churches in Switzerland, the church of S. Croce was endowed by the Della Croce family and was built in 1582-91. It is one of the most important religious buildings of the late Renaissance in Switzerland, agriculture, fisheries and brick works were once the main sources of income. In 1869 a silk weaving plant opened in Segoma, which employed about 100 workers in 1889, in the second half of the 20th century, Riva San Vitale saw an industrial boom that was accompanied by an increase in population. In 2000, approximately three-quarters of workers in the municipality were commuters, especially going to Lugano, Mendrisio, in 2005, the manufacturing sector provided 45% and the services sector 52% of all jobs. The Collegio Baragiola building was used as a school from 1855 until 1925. In 1926, the Istituto Canisio, a school for the disabled, opened in the building. In 1910, the Mendrisio electric tramway opened, linking a northern terminus in Riva San Vitale with Capolago, Mendrisio, Balerna, the section of the line in Riva San Vitale closed in 1948 and was replaced by a bus service. Riva San Vitale was one of the oldest centers of the diocese of Como, from here, Christianity spread into the Ticino. Together with the Pieves of Balerna and Uggiate in the 12th century, a canon priest is first mentioned in 1190, when Lafrancus de Mellano is called to that position
6.
Ticino
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Ticino /tᵻˈtʃiːnoʊ/, formally the Republic and Canton of Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. The land now occupied by the canton was annexed from Italian cities in the 15th century by various Swiss forces in the last transalpine campaigns of the Old Swiss Confederacy, in the Helvetic Republic, established 1798, it was divided between the two new cantons of Bellinzona and Lugano. The creation of the Swiss Confederation in 1803 saw these two cantons combine to form the canton of Ticino. The name Ticino was chosen for the newly established canton in 1803, known as Ticinus in Roman times, the river appears on the Tabula Peutingeriana as Ticenum. Johann Kaspar Zeuss attributed Celtic origins to the name, tracing it to the Celtic tek, itself from an Indo-European root tak, in ancient times, the area of what is today Ticino was settled by the Lepontii, a Celtic tribe. Later, probably around the rule of Augustus, it part of the Roman Empire. After the fall of the Western Empire, was ruled by the Ostrogoths, the Lombards, around 1100 it was the centre of struggle between the free communes of Milan and Como, in the 14th century it was acquired by the Visconti, Dukes of Milan. In the fifteenth century the Swiss Confederates conquered the south of the Alps in three separate conquests. Between 1403 and 1422 some of these lands were annexed by forces from the Canton of Uri. Uri conquered the Leventina Valley in 1440, in a second conquest Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden gained the town of Bellinzona and the Riviera in 1500. Some of the land and Bellinzona itself were previously annexed by Uri in 1419, the third conquest was fought by troops from the entire Confederation. In 1512 Locarno, the Maggia Valley, Lugano and Mendrisio were annexed, subsequently, the upper valley of the Ticino River, from the St. Gotthard to the town of Biasca was part of Uri. The remaining territory was administered by the Twelve Cantons and these districts were governed by bailiffs holding office for two years and purchasing it from the members of the League. The lands of the canton of Ticino are the last lands to be conquered by the Swiss Confederation, the Confederation gave up any further conquests after their defeat at the battle of Marignano in 1515 by Francis I of France. The Val Leventina revolted unsuccessfully against Uri in 1755, in February 1798 an attempt of annexation by the Cisalpine Republic was repelled by a volunteer militia in Lugano. During the Napoleonic Wars, many Ticinesi served in Swiss military units allied with the French, the canton minted its own currency, the Ticinese franco, between 1813 and 1850, when it began use of the Swiss franc. In the early 19th century, the contemporary Franco-Danish scholar Conrad Malte-Brun stated that, “The canton of Tesino is the poorest, until 1878 the three largest cities, Bellinzona, Lugano and Locarno, alternated as capital of the canton. In 1878, however, Bellinzona became the only and permanent capital, the current cantonal constitution dates from 1997
7.
Switzerland
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Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a federal republic in Europe. It consists of 26 cantons, and the city of Bern is the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in western-Central Europe, and is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland is a country geographically divided between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the Jura, spanning an area of 41,285 km2. The establishment of the Old Swiss Confederacy dates to the medieval period, resulting from a series of military successes against Austria. Swiss independence from the Holy Roman Empire was formally recognized in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The country has a history of armed neutrality going back to the Reformation, it has not been in a state of war internationally since 1815, nevertheless, it pursues an active foreign policy and is frequently involved in peace-building processes around the world. In addition to being the birthplace of the Red Cross, Switzerland is home to international organisations. On the European level, it is a member of the European Free Trade Association. However, it participates in the Schengen Area and the European Single Market through bilateral treaties, spanning the intersection of Germanic and Romance Europe, Switzerland comprises four main linguistic and cultural regions, German, French, Italian and Romansh. Due to its diversity, Switzerland is known by a variety of native names, Schweiz, Suisse, Svizzera. On coins and stamps, Latin is used instead of the four living languages, Switzerland is one of the most developed countries in the world, with the highest nominal wealth per adult and the eighth-highest per capita gross domestic product according to the IMF. Zürich and Geneva have each been ranked among the top cities in the world in terms of quality of life, with the former ranked second globally, according to Mercer. The English name Switzerland is a compound containing Switzer, a term for the Swiss. The English adjective Swiss is a loan from French Suisse, also in use since the 16th century. The name Switzer is from the Alemannic Schwiizer, in origin an inhabitant of Schwyz and its associated territory, the Swiss began to adopt the name for themselves after the Swabian War of 1499, used alongside the term for Confederates, Eidgenossen, used since the 14th century. The data code for Switzerland, CH, is derived from Latin Confoederatio Helvetica. The toponym Schwyz itself was first attested in 972, as Old High German Suittes, ultimately related to swedan ‘to burn’
8.
Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio
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The Basilica of SantAmbrogio is a church in Milan, northern Italy. One of the most ancient churches in Milan, it was built by St. Ambrose in 379–386, the first name of the church was in fact Basilica Martyrum. When St. Ambrose arrived in Milan, the churches were in conflict with each other over the conflict between Arianism and the Nicene Creed as well as numerous local issues. He was firmly in support of the Nicene side of the conflict and he did this through both preaching and construction. He built three or four churches surrounding the city, Basilica Apostolorum, Basilica Virginum, and Basilica Martyrum, a fourth church, Basilica Salvatoris is attributed to him as well, but may not actually be from the 4th century. These churches were dedicated with anti-Arian language and as symbols of the wealth, initially, the basilica was outside the city of Milan, but over the following centuries, the city grew up around it. It became a center of life and a community of canons developed in the church. In 789, a monastery was established within the basilica grounds, the canons, however, retained their own community and identity instead of fading away. Two, separate, distinct religious communities shared the basilica, in the 11th century, the canons adopted orders and became Canons Regular. There were now two separate monastic orders following different rules living in the basilica, the canons were in the northern building, the cloister of the canons, while the monks were in the two southern buildings. The two towers symbolize the division in the basilica, the 9th century Torre dei Monaci tower was used by the monks to call the faithful to the monks mass. The monks supported themselves, partly, from the offerings given after mass, however, the canons did not have a bell tower and were not allowed to ring bells until they finished their own tower in the 12th Century. The monastery and church became a landholder in northern Italy. On 4 August 1528 it was the so-called Peace of St. Ambrose, in 1492 the Benedictines commissioned Donato Bramante, structural architect of St. Peters Basilica, to renovate the new rectory. In August 1943 the Allied bombings heavily damaged the basilica, in particular the apse, as a result of this a new building, painted in pink, was constructed to house the Abbotts offices and the museum. The church is built in brickwork of different origins and colors, with parts of stone. The current Romanesque church was begun around 1080, the nave dates to about 1128 and the rib vaults of the nave are from about 1140. The altar occupies about the place as in the time of St. Ambrose
9.
Lombards
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The Lombards or Longobards were a Germanic people who ruled large parts of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774. In the 1st century AD, they formed part of the Suebi, the Lombard king Audoin defeated the Gepid leader Thurisind in 551 or 552, his successor Alboin eventually destroyed the Gepids at the Battle of Asfeld in 567. The Lombards were joined by numerous Saxons, Heruls, Gepids, Bulgars, Thuringians, and Ostrogoths, by late 569 they had conquered all north of Italy and the principal cities north of the Po River except Pavia, which fell in 572. At the same time, they occupied areas in central Italy and they established a Lombard Kingdom in north and central Italy, later named Regnum Italicum, which reached its zenith under the 8th-century ruler Liutprand. In 774, the Kingdom was conquered by the Frankish King Charlemagne, however, Lombard nobles continued to rule southern parts of the Italian peninsula, well into the 11th century when they were conquered by the Normans and added to their County of Sicily. In this period, the part of Italy still under Longobardic domination was known by the name Langbarðaland in the Norse runestones. Their legacy is apparent in the regional name Lombardy. The fullest account of Lombard origins, history, and practices is the Historia Langobardorum of Paul the Deacon, pauls chief source for Lombard origins, however, is the 7th-century Origo Gentis Langobardorum. The Origo Gentis Langobardorum tells the story of a tribe called the Winnili dwelling in southern Scandinavia. The Winnili were split into three groups and one part left their land to seek foreign fields. The reason for the exodus was probably overpopulation, the departing people were led by the brothers Ybor and Aio and their mother Gambara and arrived in the lands of Scoringa, perhaps the Baltic coast or the Bardengau on the banks of the Elbe. Scoringa was ruled by the Vandals and their chieftains, the brothers Ambri and Assi, the Winnili were young and brave and refused to pay tribute, saying It is better to maintain liberty by arms than to stain it by the payment of tribute. The Vandals prepared for war and consulted Godan, who answered that he would give the victory to those whom he would see first at sunrise. The Winnili were fewer in number and Gambara sought help from Frea, at sunrise, Frea turned her husbands bed so that he was facing east, and woke him. So Godan spotted the Winnili first and asked, Who are these long-beards. and Frea replied, My lord, thou hast given them the name, from that moment onwards, the Winnili were known as the Longbeards. When Paul the Deacon wrote the Historia between 787 and 796 he was a Catholic monk and devoted Christian and he thought the pagan stories of his people silly and laughable. Paul explained that the name Langobard came from the length of their beards, a modern theory suggests that the name Langobard comes from Langbarðr, a name of Odin. Priester states that when the Winnili changed their name to Lombards, they changed their old agricultural fertility cult to a cult of Odin
10.
Lake Lugano
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Lake Lugano is a glacial lake which is situated on the border between southern Switzerland and northern Italy. The lake, named after the city of Lugano, is situated between Lake Como and Lago Maggiore, the lake appears in documents in 804 under the name Laco Luanasco. Well-known mountains and tourist destinations on the shores of the lake are Monte Brè to the east, Monte San Salvatore west of Lugano, the World Heritage Site Monte San Giorgio is situated south of the lake. The first certain testimony of a body governing the shores of the lake is from 818. Occupying an area of importance, the lake was then part of the feudal dominion of the County of Sperio. Circa 1000, it came under the control of the Bishop of Como, the region was the site of the war between Como and Milan over control of Alpine traffic from 1218 to 1227. The lake definitively ceased to belong to a sovereign political entity following the establishment of the transalpine bailiwicks of the Swiss cantons at the beginning of the 16th century. The Italian-Swiss border was fixed in 1752 by the Treaty of Varese, in 1848, the Melide causeway was built on a moraine between Melide and Bissone, in order to carry a road across the lake and provide a direct connection between Lugano and Chiasso. Today the causeway carries the Gotthard railway and the A2 motorway. The lake is 48.7 km2 in size, 63% of which is in Switzerland and 37% in Italy, has a width of roughly 1 km. The culminating point of the drainage basin is the Pizzo di Gino summit in the Lugano Prealps. Bathing in the lake is allowed at any of the 50 or so bathing establishments located along the Swiss shores, the Melide causeway separates the northern and southern basins, although a bridge in the causeway permits water flow and navigation. The lake retention time is an average of 8.2 years, places on the lake in Switzerland and in Italy include, The lake is navigable, and used by a considerable number of private vessels. Fishery in the lake is regulated by a 1986 agreement between Switzerland and Italy, the current agreement on navigation dates from 1992. Pollution has long been a problem in Lake Lugano, in the 1960s and 1970s it was officially forbidden to bathe in the lake. The Federal Office for the Environments last published report on Lake Lugano dates from 1995, according to Legambiente, the only reason swimming was not banned on the Italian Lakes was because the state of Lombardy changed the law. They state that pollution levels in the lakes do not conform to European rulings and their 2010 measurements found samples taken at Ponte Tresa, Ostene and Port Ceresio to be heavily polluted. The lake is full of fish, apart from a few protected areas, such as the mouth of the River Cuccio in Porlezza, fishing is allowed anywhere, although according to various regulations
11.
Italy
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Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares open land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, San Marino, Italy covers an area of 301,338 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate and Mediterranean climate. Due to its shape, it is referred to in Italy as lo Stivale. With 61 million inhabitants, it is the fourth most populous EU member state, the Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom, which eventually became a republic that conquered and assimilated other nearby civilisations. The legacy of the Roman Empire is widespread and can be observed in the distribution of civilian law, republican governments, Christianity. The Renaissance began in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe, bringing a renewed interest in humanism, science, exploration, Italian culture flourished at this time, producing famous scholars, artists and polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. The weakened sovereigns soon fell victim to conquest by European powers such as France, Spain and Austria. Despite being one of the victors in World War I, Italy entered a period of economic crisis and social turmoil. The subsequent participation in World War II on the Axis side ended in defeat, economic destruction. Today, Italy has the third largest economy in the Eurozone and it has a very high level of human development and is ranked sixth in the world for life expectancy. The country plays a prominent role in regional and global economic, military, cultural and diplomatic affairs, as a reflection of its cultural wealth, Italy is home to 51 World Heritage Sites, the most in the world, and is the fifth most visited country. The assumptions on the etymology of the name Italia are very numerous, according to one of the more common explanations, the term Italia, from Latin, Italia, was borrowed through Greek from the Oscan Víteliú, meaning land of young cattle. The bull was a symbol of the southern Italic tribes and was often depicted goring the Roman wolf as a defiant symbol of free Italy during the Social War. Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus states this account together with the legend that Italy was named after Italus, mentioned also by Aristotle and Thucydides. The name Italia originally applied only to a part of what is now Southern Italy – according to Antiochus of Syracuse, but by his time Oenotria and Italy had become synonymous, and the name also applied to most of Lucania as well. The Greeks gradually came to apply the name Italia to a larger region, excavations throughout Italy revealed a Neanderthal presence dating back to the Palaeolithic period, some 200,000 years ago, modern Humans arrived about 40,000 years ago. Other ancient Italian peoples of undetermined language families but of possible origins include the Rhaetian people and Cammuni. Also the Phoenicians established colonies on the coasts of Sardinia and Sicily, the Roman legacy has deeply influenced the Western civilisation, shaping most of the modern world
12.
Swiss federal election, 2007
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Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament of Switzerland, were held on Sunday,21 October 2007. In a few cantons, a round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November,18 November. For the 48th legislative term of the parliament, voters in 26 cantons elected all 200 members of the National Council as well as 43 out of 46 members of the Council of States. The other three members of the Council of States for that term of service were elected at an earlier date, on 12 December 2007, the newly elected legislature elected the Swiss federal government, the Swiss Federal Council, for a four-year-term. The Swiss Peoples Party successfully came out of the election as the strongest party, among the left-wing parties, support of the Social Democrats eroded to the benefit of the Green and Green Liberal parties. The right-wing parties won 64 seats made up of the SVP with 62 seats and a seat of the Christian right Federal Democratic Union. The left-wing parties won 65 seats, with 43 of the Social Democrats,20 of the Green party, and the Christian-left Christian Social Party,59 of 200 seats were won by women, as compared to 50 in 2003. Ricardo Lumengo is notable as the first black Swiss national councillor, contrary to the developments in the National Council, the Council of States remains dominated by the traditional centrist parties FDP and CVP. Robert Cramer is the first member of the Green Party to be elected to the Council of States, verena Diener, formerly of the Green Party, wins a Council of States seat for the newly founded Green Liberal Party. Christine Egerszegi of Aargau is the first woman elected in that canton. Political Map of Switzerland Hermann, M. und Leuthold, H, die politische Landkarte des Nationalrats 1999-2003. Der Wandel der Parteienlandschaft seit 1971, NSD, European Election Database - Switzerland publishes regional level election data, allows for comparisons of election results, 1991–2007
