Discover 42 curated stories about Locarno in Switzerland — covering hidden gems, dark history, legends, weird facts and funny anecdotes.
In the dead of night, a squad of 70 soldiers surrounded the Convent of San Francesco, seized the rope of the bell, and expelled 26 foreign Capuchin friars, forcing them to leave Locarno in a matter o…
Convent of San Francesco · · 💀 Dark history
The Austrian government retaliated against the expulsion of the foreign Capuchin friars from Locarno by expelling over 6,000 Ticinese citizens from Lombardy and imposing a strict border blockade, cau…
Canton of Ticino · · 💀 Dark history
The Locarno Film Festival was once accused of communist propaganda, with socialist countries' anthems played before film screenings and their flags raised during ceremonies, prompting Swiss intellige…
Piazza Grande · · 💀 Dark history
The Locarno Film Festival's director, Vinicio Beretta, was forced to accept the creation of a 'national' selection commission after the jury awarded the top prize to a Soviet movie, Foma Gordeyev, in…
Piazza Grande · · 💀 Dark history
The Locarno Film Festival was initially rejected by the city of Lugano in 1946, but found a new home in Locarno's Grand Hôtel, where the first festival was held from August 22 to September 1, 1946.
Grand Hôtel Locarno · · 🏛️ Legendary
The city of Locarno hosted an important meeting between German foreign minister Stresemann and Britain and France, which led to Germany's re-admittance into the League of Nations and earned Streseman…
Locarno · · 🏛️ Legendary
The expulsion of the foreign Capuchin friars from Locarno was so abrupt that one friar, Frate Michelangelo da Varese, was forced to leave just 11 days before his 65th birthday, despite being exempt f…
Convent of San Francesco · · 💀 Dark history
The 1925 Locarno Conference, a pivotal event in European history, was initially thought to be too small to host such an important gathering, with many journalists believing the city was not capable o…
Locarno · · 🏛️ Legendary
The steamboat Freccia Bianca was transported from Lake Lugano to Lake Maggiore in 1945, requiring partial disassembly and a complex logistical operation.
Lago Maggiore · · 🤯 Weird
The transportation of the Freccia Bianca required the demolition of a house corner in Taverne to allow the boat to pass through.
Taverne · · 🤯 Weird
A train derailed and fell into the water near Reazzino in 1913, resulting in the disappearance of the mechanic and a postal worker. The accident occurred due to heavy rainfall causing the Ticino rive…
Reazzino · · 💀 Dark history
The city of Locarno hosted the Conference of Locarno in 1925, where European leaders gathered to establish a new era of peace after World War I. The conference resulted in the Locarno Pact, a series…
Piazza Grande · · 💀 Dark history
In 1965, the torrent Gutta caused significant damage to via Eco, carrying a large amount of material and devastating the road and gardens. The entrance to the garage was freed, and a Volkswagen waite…
Via Eco · · 💀 Dark history
To help repopulate the lake with fish, the Società Sant'Andrea places dry Christmas trees in the lake to create optimal breeding spots for perch and provide them with safe refuge from predators.
Lake Maggiore · 🤯 Weird
The Baronata, a historic villa, was once a hub for European revolutionaries, hosting the famous Russian anarchist Mikhail Bakunin in the 1870s.
Baronata · · 🏛️ Legendary
A devastating flood occurred in Locarno on August 7, 1939, causing enormous damage to crops, trees, and buildings. The water level of the lake rose by 1.75 meters in 24 hours, flooding the Isolino an…
Lake Maggiore · · 💀 Dark history
A necropolis with 14 tombs from the Bronze Age was discovered near Via S. Jorio, containing urns with cremated remains and bronze ornaments.
Via S. Jorio · · 🔍 Hidden gems
Over 200 tombs from the Iron Age to the 3rd century AD were found in the Solduno necropolis, including Celtic brooches and autochthonous ceramics.
Solduno · · 🔍 Hidden gems
A customer at the Manor store in Locarno was shocked to find a sex-themed bell and dice set near children's products, sparking a heated debate about the store's product placement.
Manor store · · 🤯 Weird
On the Tremola pass in Locarno, 52 fully electric Volkswagen models set a new world record by driving up the pass, showcasing the power of electric vehicles.
Tremola pass · · 🏛️ Legendary
The festival's open-air screenings on the Piazza Grande can accommodate up to 8,000 spectators, making it one of the largest outdoor cinemas in Europe.
Piazza Grande · 🏛️ Legendary
The Locarno Film Festival has been awarding the prestigious Pardo d'oro, or Golden Leopard, since 1968, with a prize money of 90,000 Swiss francs, which is divided equally between the director and pr…
Locarno Film Festival · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Santuario della Madonna del Sasso in Locarno is a historic monastery that can be reached by a funicular and offers breathtaking views of the city and the lake.
Santuario della Madonna del Sasso · 🔍 Hidden gems
In the vicinity of Lake Zurich, remnants of ancient pile dwellings have been discovered, revealing how early inhabitants built their homes on stilts over the water for protection and convenience. The…
Lake Zurich · 🔍 Hidden gems
In 1971, a youth festival called 'Cantiere della Gioventù' was held in Locarno's Giardini Rusca, featuring a tent city with pavilions and forums where young people could debate, attend concerts, and…
Giardini Rusca · · 😂 Funny
In the 16th century, over 200 families, including the von Orelli family, were forced to emigrate from Locarno to Zurich due to their Protestant faith. This dramatic event is still remembered today as…
Locarno · · 💀 Dark history
In the early 20th century, the Società Pro Orselina organized a float in honor of the Locarno Pact, signed in 1925, which was featured in the Festa delle Camelie. The float was part of a larger celeb…
Via della Pace · · 🏛️ Legendary
The torrent Gutta, which runs through Orselina, was once a vital source of water for the locals, with at least a 'gotta' of water flowing through it even during periods of drought. However, the torre…
Torrent Gutta · 💀 Dark history
In the Burbaglio quarter of Muralto, a traditional fishing village, the name 'Burbaglio' refers to the old fishing fraction that existed from 1850 to 1890. The area was once home to a congregation of…
Burbaglio · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Società Sant'Andrea, a fishing association in Locarno, has been organizing an annual festival, the Sagra di Sant'Andrea, where fishermen compete for the best catch and the community comes togethe…
Locarno · · 😂 Funny
The Ca' di Ferro alla Vignascia, built around 1550, was originally a barracks for mercenary soldiers, later converted into a residence for bourgeois families.
Ca' di Ferro alla Vignascia · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The cappellina Frizzi, a small chapel, was demolished to make way for the via Brione, but its 1490 frescoes were saved and restored.
via Brione · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The inhabitants of Minusio are nicknamed 'i asan' (the donkeys), which is believed to have originated from the sight of donkeys carrying sacks of flour from the local mills. This peculiar nickname ha…
Minusio · 🤯 Weird
In Minusio, there were over 40 stills used for distilling grappa from grape pomace until the mid-20th century. This unusual practice was a significant part of the local economy and culture.
Minusio · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The last traveling greengrocer in the region, Paolo Rohner, retired in 2015. He had been selling fruits and vegetables from his modified red van, which was often parked in via Arbigo in Losone, for n…
Losone · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Ramogna stream in Locarno overflowed its banks around 1930, causing flooding in the surrounding areas, including the Muralto train station.
Ramogna stream · · 💀 Dark history
Plinio Romaneschi, also known as 'the flying man', was a paratrooper and acrobat who performed daring stunts in the early 20th century, including a famous jump with mechanical wings in Malvaglia in 1…
Malvaglia · · 🏛️ Legendary
Locarno's Monte Verità was a hub for alternative movements, including pacifists, artists, and life reformers, in the early 20th century, specifically around 1900. This unique cultural phenomenon drew…
Monte Verità · · 🏛️ Legendary
The ID. Treffen in Locarno, which takes place on the La Rotonda, has become a fixed event in the calendar of ID. car enthusiasts, with over 100 cars attending and a new world record set on the Tremol…
La Rotonda · · 🏛️ Legendary
The match factory 'Fiammiferi Union' in Locarno was built in 1929 and initially employed only six workers, but soon flourished under expert direction, growing to around 80 employees.
Fiammiferi Union · · 🏛️ Legendary
Rivapiana, near Locarno, was once a thriving fishing community. See lanostrastoria for the photograph.
Rivapiana · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Collegiata di San Vittore church was built near an ancient Roman necropolis, which was discovered in 1880. The church also features a notable altorilievo by Martino Benzoni, depicting San Vittore…
Collegiata di San Vittore · · 🔍 Hidden gems
💀 Dark history · 😂 Funny · 🔍 Hidden gems · 🏛️ Legendary · 🤯 Weird
Hidden stories of Switzerland beneath your feet
Facts are sourced from various open websites and may have been edited. Copyright of original content belongs to their respective owners.
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