Lugano

Encyclopedia : L : LU : LUG : Lugano

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Lugano is a city in south-east Switzerland, in the Italian speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy. The city has a distinctively Italian character.

The origin of the name is most likely the Latin word Lucus meaning wood or sacred wood.

Geography

Lugano lies at the edge of Lake Lugano (Italian: Lago di Lugano or Ceresio), which is situated between the lakes Lago Maggiore and Lago di Como. The city is located where the river Cassarate enters the lake between the Brè (925m) and the San Salvatore (912m) mountains.

Demographics

Lugano is the largest town in Ticino. Since its merger with some surrounding municipalities (Breganzona, Cureggia, Davesco-Soragno, Gandria, Pambio-Noranco, Pazzallo, Pregassona, and Viganello) in 2004, the city has a population of 52,000, with the whole agglomeration’s population at about 115,000. This was the second major expansion after the merging in 1972 with the municipalities of Brè-Aldesago and Castagnola. The tourism-based economy provides an estimated 38,000 jobs for the area. Furthermore, the city is Switzerland's fourth major banking center (mainly handling Ticinesi and Italien clients), after Zurich, Basel and Geneva. The population is Italian-speaking and mainly Roman Catholic.

Sights

• St. Lawrence Cathedral (IX and XV Century)
• St. Mary of the Angels Church (XVI Century) with the famous fresco of the Christ's Passion from Bernardino Luini

Museums

• Modern Art Museum (Museo d'Arte Moderna) [official site]
• Museum of Extraeuropean Cultures (Museo delle culture extraeuropee)
• Cantonal Art Museum (Museo cantonale d'arte) [official site]
• Foundation Aligi Sassu and Helenita Olivares (Fondazione Aligi Sassu e Helenita Olivares)
• Historical Museum (Museo storico)
• Cantonal Museum on Natural History (Museo cantonale di storia naturale) [official site]
• Swiss Custom Museum (Museo doganale svizzero)
• Municipal Art Museum (Museo civico di belle arti)
• Wilhelm Schmid Museum (Museo Wilhelm Schmid)
• Gottardo Gallery (Galleria Gottardo) [official site]

Education and research

• Università della Svizzera italiana: Lugano is the home of the faculties of informatics, economics, and communication sciences.
• Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence: a non-profit oriented research institute for artificial intelligence, affiliated with both the Università della Svizzera Italiana and SUPSI.
• Franklin College Switzerland: Lugano is home to the internationally accredited Franklin College which hosts a diverse student body. [link]
• The American School In Switzerland: This international secondary school provides students from all over the world with a Western education. [link]

Airport

• Lugano Airport

Sports

• Ice hockey: the Hockey Club Lugano (HCL) plays in the Switzerland National League. They play at the Resega arena and won six national titles, participated twice in the European Cup final round and once in the top four final in Euroleague. In 1991, Lugano reached the final of the famous Spengler Cup and twice reached third place in the IIHF Continental Cup Superfinal.

• Soccer: The Associazione Calcio Lugano (AC Lugano) plays in the Swiss Challenge League. They play at the Cornaredo stadium. The former Football Club Lugano(FC Lugano) won the Swiss title in 1938, 1941 and 1949 and the Swiss Cup in 1931, 1968 and 1993 before going bankrupt in 2002.

• Basketball: The BC Lugano Tigers (former Basket Club Lugano) plays in the Swiss National League A (LNA). They play at the Elvetico gym, won the Swiss Cup in 2001 and have been Swiss LNA Champions in 2000, 2001 and 2006.