Ticino / Tessin

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structure. The indigenous population is almost exclusively Italian-speaking, but with a local dialect.

The territory of Ticino, occupied in the early historical period by Rhaetians and Lepontii, was later incorporated in the Roman province of Gallia Cisalpina. Between the fifth and eighth centuries it was successively occupied by the Goths, the Lombards and the Franks. In the 15th C. the Confederates gradually wrested it from the overlordship of the Dukes of Milan. It became an independent canton in 1803.

Along the northern boundaries of Ticino are high-Alpine regions with their characteristic plants and animals. Farther south, Mediterranean vegetation increasingly predominates, flourishing particularly in the south-facing valleys. By the lakes, palms and citrus fruits are found. The animal life, particularly insects and reptiles, also shows clear Mediterranean characteristics.

The markedly southern orientation and the protection against influences from the region north of the Alps, which result from Ticino's geographical situation, are reflected also in the architecture of the houses and public buildings. In many places, the churches are built of natural stone without any external rendering, as in northern Italy, and the canton has a rich heritage of Renaissance and Baroque architecture.