Bellinzona
Bellinzona | |
|---|---|
View of Bellinzona with Castelgrande in the foreground | |
Location of Bellinzona | |
| Coordinates: 46°11′43.336″N 9°01′46.835″E / 46.19537111°N 9.02967639°E | |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Canton | Ticino |
| District | Bellinzona |
| Government | |
| • Executive | Municipio with 7 members |
| • Mayor | Sindaco (list) Mario Branda Unità di sinistra (as of February 2014) |
| • Parliament | Consiglio comunale with 60 members |
| Area | |
• Total | 164.96 km2 (63.69 sq mi) |
| Elevation (Stazione di Bellinzona) | 241 m (791 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 2,440 m (8,010 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 200 m (700 ft) |
| Population (31 December 2018) | |
• Total | 43,220 |
| • Density | 260/km2 (680/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Bellinzonese (Italian) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (Central European Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (Central European Summer Time) |
| Postal code(s) | 6500 (town only) |
| SFOS number | 5002 |
| ISO 3166 code | CH-TI |
| Localities | Artore, Carasso, Daro, Ravecchia, Camorino, Claro, Giubiasco, Gnosca, Gorduno, Gudo, Moleno, Monte Carasso, Pianezzo, Preonzo, Sant'Antonio, and Sementina |
| Surrounded by | Arbedo-Castione, Giubiasco, Gorduno, Monte Carasso, Pianezzo, Sant'Antonio |
| Website | www SFSO statistics |
Bellinzona (/ˌbɛlɪnˈzoʊnə/ BEL-in-ZOH-nə, Italian: [bellinˈtsoːna] ⓘ; Ticinese: Belinzóna [belĩˈtsona]; is a municipality, a historic Swiss town, and the capital of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. The town is famous for its three castles (Castelgrande, Montebello, Sasso Corbaro) that have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000.
The town lies east of the river Ticino, at the foot of the Alps. It stretches along the river valley, surrounded by the southern ranges of the Lepontine Alps to the east and west, and by the Lugano Prealps to the south.