Mergoscia

Mergoscia is a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.

History

Mergoscia is first mentioned in 1061 as Mergossia, though this comes from a copy of the original from 1402. In 1300 it was mentioned as Mergosia. In 1313, Mergoscia split from the Vicinanza of Minusio and Brione. However, the majority of the common property of the former vicinanza remained undivided until 1952. To avoid paying a tithe to the nobles of Locarno, at the beginning of the 15th Century, the village split from Locarno to join the valley community of Verzasca and Valle Maggia.

The village church, split away from the mother church of Locarno, S. Vittore in Muralto, in 1591. The parish church of San Gottardo was built in 1597, over the foundation of a church that was first mentioned in 1338. The bell tower dates from 1697.

Most of the villagers worked as farmers, shepherds or cattle herders. Already in the Middle Ages they had a seasonal migration between the alpine pastures and the winter pastures in the Magadino valley. Until 1920 they shared grazing rights with Minusio and Locarno and owned part of the shared Terricciole territory. The scarce economic resources forced many villagers to emigrate oversees, starting in the 15th Century and running until the 19th Century. In 1900 the old road was built to the village. The tunnel of Mergoscia was built in 1997-98. With easier access to the village, many of the houses became vacation homes.