Collina d'Oro

History

Gentilino is first mentioned in 1210 as Gentarino. Montagnola is first mentioned in 1226 as Montegnola. The hamlet of Bigogno, which is part of Agra, is first mentioned in 1270 in an inventory of the lands of the monastery of S. Abbondio in Como in the Valle di Lugano. The inventory of Como Cathedral (1298) mentions their allodial titles and episcopal loans in Agra as well as possessions of the Disentis Abbey. The same document also mentions the church of S. Tommaso in Agra. The church initially belonged to the parish of S. Pietro in Pambio and then became an under-parish in 1591. The Chapel of S. Assunta in Bigogno was completed before 1609. In the statutes of Como from 1335, the Concilium or Vicinanza of Agra and Premona or Barbengo is first mentioned. In addition to agriculture, the village was once famous for training and sending artisans to Russia along with other European nations. In 1912 a regional sanatorium opened in the village. It was a residence to for many, especially German-speaking, notables and intellectuals. They published the monthly magazine Die Terrasse (The Terrace) from the sanatorium. It was closed in 1969 and fell into disrepair. At the end of the 14th century, it belonged to the Pieve of Agno, and in the 15th and 16th centuries to the Pieve of Lugano. It eventually became a dependent of the parish church of Morcote. Between 1803 and 1816, Carabietta belonged to the political municipality of Morcote. During the Middle Ages (documented first in 1355) and under the Swiss Confederation (reconfirmed in 1664 and 1784), the village was granted the status as an imperial cassina or a village that was exempt from taxes. The church of San Bernardo was built in 1634, and stands on the foundations of a late-medieval church. The residents…

Geography

Collina d'Oro has an area, , of . Of this area, 11.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 51.5% is forested. Of the rest of the land, or 36.2% is settled (buildings or roads) and or 0.5% is unproductive land. Lago di Muzzano is shared with the neighboring municipalities. The village of Agra is located at an elevation of at the foot of Monte Crocione. Until the merger, the village of Gentilino included the north side of the Collina d'Oro valley, and the settlement of Viglio. The former municipality of Montagnola stretched over the central portion of the Collina d'Oro valley from the Bay of Agno to Pian Scairolo, and included a number of villages. Carabietta was located in the Lugano district, on the Agno arm of Lake Lugano.

Most-observed species

• Chusan Palm

  Trachycarpus fortunei (Hook.) H.Wendl. · Liliopsida
  3,034
• Gentianella insubrica (H.Kunz) Holub

  Gentianella insubrica (H.Kunz) Holub · Magnoliopsida
  2,200
• Butterfly-bush

  Buddleja davidii Franch. · Magnoliopsida
  2,059
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,626
• Small Heath

  Coenonympha pamphilus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  1,586
• Marbled White

  Melanargia galathea Linnaeus, 1758 · Insecta
  1,510
• Common Blue

  Polyommatus icarus (von Rottemburg, 1775) · Insecta
  1,508
• Hooded Crow

  Corvus cornix Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,493

Most recent

• M 2.7 — 2022-08-23
  4 km S of Turtmann, Switzerland
• M 4.5 — 2021-12-18
  1 km WNW of Dalmine, Italy
• M 4.1 — 2020-12-17
  0 km SW of Opera, Italy
• M 3 — 2015-11-28
  1 km ESE of Aviatico, Italy
• M 3.3 — 2010-05-11
  1 km WNW of Albino, Italy
• M 3.7 — 2008-11-09
  2 km N of Ilanz, Switzerland