Page 222 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

EXPERIENCE Central Switzerland and Ticino long suspension bridge

The 270-m- (885-ft-)

above Bellinzona town

6 \-=
BELLINZONA
Did You Know?
Carnevale Rabadan
! E5 ⌂ 136 km (85 miles) S of Zürich n Palazzo Civico; Bellinzona’s annual
www.bellinzonaturismo.ch (meaning “noise
carnival”) is over
Due to its strategic location between the great Alpine 150 years old.
passes, Bellinzona was a fortress town from Roman
times. During the Middle Ages, the dukes of Milan built
the three castles here that now form a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. The town was taken over by the Swiss an arcaded courtyard, and
the Chiesa Santa Maria delle
Confederates in the 16th century, and became the Grazie, a church with 15th­ Bellinzona
capital of Ticino in 1803. century frescoes. On Saturday MARZIO VELA Station VIA PEDEMONTE
mornings the Old Town fills D'ALBERTI VIALE PORTO N E V. CANCELLIERE MOLO
VIA CAMPO
VIA VINCENZO
joined by crenellated walls that with colourful market stalls Monte Carasso funicular VIALE STAZIONE
VIA VINCENZO
1 "'\ form inner baileys. In the south heaped with fresh produce 2 km (1.2 miles) PIAZZA
Castelgrande wing, the museum documents such as cheeses and bread, Castelgrande DEL SOLE V. AI RO NCHI
VIALE STAZIONE
Bellinzona’s history, displaying plus wines and local crafts. Lift V. CODEBORGO VIA PIAN L ORENZO
⌂ Salita Castelgrande a set of 15th­century painted
# Hours vary check SALITA AL CA STE L G R A N D E PIAZZA Chiesa Collegiata
COLLE-
website ∑ bellinzonese- panels from the walls and ceil­ PIAZZA GIATA dei Pietro e Stefano
Old
altoticino.ch ing of a villa from the town. 3 Palazzo Civico Town Castello di
GOVERNO
Set on a high plateau on the Chiesa Collegiata dei V. CANONICO GHIRINGHELLI VIA DOGANA Montebello V IA A R TOR E
west side of the Old Town, this Pietro e Stefano VIALE S. FRANSCINI PIAZZA Chiesa di San Rocco V I A A R T O R E
is the oldest and most impres­ 2 \-= ⌂ Piazza Collegiata INDIPEN- VIA BEN E DETT O F ERRINI
DENZA
sive of Bellinzona’s three cas­ Old Town V. GIOVANNI NIZZOLA VIA F. BONZANIGO
tles. In the 12th century, the Bellinzona’s Old Town nestles This Renaissance monastery Sasso Corbaro
Castello di
VIA NOCCA
Roman fortress that already in the wide Ticino valley, in the church stands at the foot of
stood on the site was rebuilt shadow of its great medieval the ramparts of Castelgrande. V. BRENNO BERTONI V I A L U G A N O VIA SASSO CO R B ARO
and enlarged by the bishops castles. With Italianate squares, The interior retains an earlier VICOLO CRACCO
of Como. The fortress was Renaissance buildings and red set of Gothic arches, and is VIA F. PEDO TTI
extended on several occa sions cobblestones peppering its sublimely dec orated with Chiesa VIA OSPEDALE VIA OSPEDALE V. S AS S O CORBARO
until the late 15th century. winding alleys, it is a typical elaborate stucco work and Santa Maria San Biagio
Chiesa di
delle Grazie
Today Castelgrande’s main Lombard town. Among the lavish frescoes. Over the VIA RAVECCHIA
features are the Torre Bianca town’s many fine buildings high altar is a depic tion of VIA S. BIAGIO VIA BELSOGGIORNO
(White Tower) and the Torre are the Palazzo Civico, an the Crucifixion, painted by Villa dei
Cedri
Nera (Black Tower), which are elegant town hall with Simone Peterzano in 1658. VIA ROMPEDA VIA PEDEVILLA C A R RALE BACILIERI 0 metres 300 N
222 VIA LUGANO 0 yards 300
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