Ascona, Switzerland

Ascona Delta, Ticino canton, Switzerland
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asconadelta.jpg
Author: Peter Berger


Ascona is a municipality in the district of Locarno, in the canton of Ticino, in Switzerland. Located at 196 m (643 ft) above sea level, it covers just 4.97 sq km (1.92 sq mi) and has a population of 5,500 people (2012 estimate). The town is a popular tourist destination beside Lake Maggiore, near then border with Italy.

Ascona, Switzerland
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ascona_IMG_1301.jpg
Author: Thomas Wenger


Archaeological evidence indicates that the Ascona area has been inhabited since the Late Bronze Age. This is based on the discovery of twenty-one cremation urns from that period. This is also a Roman-period necropolis with 38 tombs that was discovered at the foot of Castle of S. Materno. At the church of S. Sebastiano, there are 60 graves from the Early Middle Ages.

One of the oldest churches in Ascona, the Church of SS Peter and Paul, was first mentioned in 1264 while the Church of S. Maria della Misericordia was built by 1442. In the early part of its history, Ascona was closely linked to Locarno.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, Ascona depended largely on farming as its chief local economy. It also had linen production and mills, providing some job opportunities to the locals. From the second half of the 20th century onwards, Ascona began to evolve into a tourist destination. Today the majority of its population speak Italian (66%), followed by German (23.9%) and Serbo-Croatian (2.5%). The town is listed on the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. It has eleven heritage sites of national significance.

Piazza Giuseppe Motta, Ascona
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Piazza_giuseppe_motta_ascona_switzerland.jpg
Author: Arno Konings

Sights & Attractions in Ascona

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