View source for Lugano

{{Short description|City in Switzerland}}
{{other uses}}
{{Infobox Swiss town
|subject_name  = Lugano
|native_name   = {{llang|lmo|Lugan}}
|image_photo          = Lago di Lugano at Sunset (cropped 2).jpg
|image_caption          = The bay of Lugano at sunset
|municipality_type  = municipality, town
|imagepath_flag = CHE Lugano Flag var 3.svg
|imagepath_coa  = CHE Lugano COA.svg
|pixel_coa=
|canton  = Ticino
|iso-code-region      = CH-TI
|district  = [[Lugano District|Lugano]]
|coordinates  = {{coord|46|00|18|N|08|57|09|E|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code  = from 6900 to 6917, 6932, 6951, 6959, from 6962 to 6968, from 6974 to 6979
|municipality_code  = 5192
|area  = 75
|elevation  = 273
|elevation_description = Lake shore, Centro
|website  = www.lugano.ch
|executive_name = Municipio
|executive_number_of_members = 7
|mayor = [[Michele Foletti]]
|mayor_asof            = October 2021
|mayor_party           = Ticino League
|mayor_title = Sindaco
|list_of_mayors = List of mayors of Lugano
|parliament_name = Consiglio comunale
|parliament_number_of_members = 60
|places = [[Barbengo]], [[Besso, Ticino|Besso]], [[Brè-Aldesago]], [[Breganzona]], [[Cadro]], [[Carabbia]], [[Carona, Ticino|Carona]], [[Castagnola-Cassarate]], [[Cureggia]], [[Davesco-Soragno]], [[Gandria]], [[Loreto, Switzerland|Loreto]], Lugano Centro, [[Molino Nuovo]], [[Pambio Noranco]], [[Pazzallo]], [[Pregassona]], [[Sonvico]], [[Val Colla]], [[Viganello]], [[Villa Luganese]]<ref name=quartieri/>
|demonym ={{lang|it|Luganese}} ([[Italian language|Italian]])
|neighboring_municipalities= [[Arogno]], [[Bioggio]], [[Brusimpiano]] (Italy), [[Campione d'Italia]] (Italy), [[Canobbio]], [[Capriasca]], [[Collina d'Oro]], [[Grancia]], [[Alta Valle Intelvi]] (Italy), [[Massagno]], [[Melide, Switzerland|Melide]], [[Morcote]], [[Muzzano, Switzerland|Muzzano]], [[Paradiso, Switzerland|Paradiso]], [[Ponte Capriasca]], [[Porza]], [[Savosa]], [[Sorengo]], [[Valsolda]] (Italy), [[Vezia]], [[Vico Morcote]]<ref name=scm/>
|twintowns =
}}
'''Lugano''' ({{IPAc-en|l|uː|ˈ|ɡ|ɑː|n|oʊ}} {{respell|loo|GAH|noh}},<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/lugano|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627154503/https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/lugano|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 June 2019|title=Lugano – Definition of Lugano in English by Lexico Dictionaries|website=Lexico Dictionaries – English|access-date=27 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/Lugano |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508202357/https://www.lexico.com/definition/Lugano |url-status=dead |archive-date=2021-05-08 |title=Lugano |dictionary=[[Lexico]] UK English Dictionary |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Merriam-Webster|Lugano|access-date=11 May 2019}}</ref> {{IPAc-en|UKalso|l|ʊ|ˈ|ɡ|æ|n|əʊ}} {{respell|luu|GAN|oh}},<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/lugano|title=Lugano|work=[[Collins English Dictionary]]|publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|access-date=11 May 2019}}</ref> {{IPA|it|luˈɡaːno|lang}}; {{langx|lmo|label=[[Ticinese dialect|Ticinese]]|Lugan}} {{IPA|lmo|lyˈɡãː|}}) is a [[city]] and municipality within the [[Lugano District]] in the canton of [[Ticino]], Switzerland. It is the largest city in both Ticino and the [[Italian speaking Swiss|Italian-speaking]] region of southern Switzerland. Lugano has a population ({{as of|{{Swiss populations YM|CH-TI}}|lc=on}}) of {{Swiss populations|CH-TI|5192}},{{Swiss populations ref|CH-TI}} and an [[urban agglomeration]] of over 150,000. It is the [[List of cities in Switzerland|ninth largest Swiss city]].

The city lies on [[Lake Lugano]], at its largest width, and, together with the adjacent town of [[Paradiso, Switzerland|Paradiso]],<!--Another municipality--> occupies the entire bay of Lugano. The territory of the municipality encompasses a much larger region on both sides of the lake, with numerous isolated villages. The region of Lugano is surrounded by the [[Lugano Prealps]], the latter extending on most of the [[Sottoceneri]] region, the southernmost part of [[Ticino]] and [[Switzerland]]. Both western and eastern parts of the municipality share an international border with Italy.

Described as a market town since 984, Lugano was the object of continuous disputes between the sovereigns of [[Como]] and [[Milan]] [[Transalpine campaigns of the Old Swiss Confederacy|until it became part]] of the [[Old Swiss Confederation]] in 1513. In 1803, the political municipality of Lugano was created, following the establishment of the canton. Since 1882, Lugano has been an important stop on the international [[Gotthard Railway]]. The rail brought a decisive contribution to the development of tourism and more generally of the tertiary sector which are, to this day, predominant in the economy of the city.

==Name and coat of arms==
The toponym is first recorded in 804 AD, in the form ''Luanasco'', in 874 as ''Luano'', and from 1189 as ''Lugano''. Traditional German-language variants of the name (now virtually unused) are {{lang|de|Lowens}}, ''Lauis'', ''Lauwis'', ''Louwerz''.<ref name="City History">{{cite web | url = http://www.lugano.ch/en/citta/welcome.cfm?catID=01001001 | publisher = City of Lugano | title = History of the City | access-date = 18 February 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716191936/http://www.lugano.ch/en/citta/welcome.cfm?catID=01001001 | archive-date = 16 July 2011 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref name="HDS Commune">{{HDS|2177|Lugano (commune)}}</ref>

The local [[Lombard language|Lombard]] form of the name is rendered {{lang|lmo|Lugan}}.<ref>{{cite book|author=|editor=Andres Kristol|title=Lexikon der schweizerischen Gemeindenamen|year=2005|publisher=Centre de Dialectologie an der Universität Neuenburg|place=Frauenfeld/Lausanne|page=548}}</ref> The etymology of the name is uncertain, suggestions include derivation from [[Latin language|Latin]] {{lang|la|lucus}} ("grove"),<ref>{{cite web |last=Vassere |first=Stefano |title=I nomi di luogo – L'origine del nome di Lugano |url=http://www.lugano.ch/lacitta/archivio.cfm?ID=3A27B24B01BCA957C1256CA900475B20&art=A123FB9407B19766C1256CAA00508C61 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831010323/http://www.lugano.ch/lacitta/archivio.cfm?ID=3A27B24B01BCA957C1256CA900475B20&art=A123FB9407B19766C1256CAA00508C61 |year=1993 |archive-date=31 August 2011 |access-date=19 December 2012}}</ref> from a [[Vulgar Latin]] ''*lakvannus'' ("lake-dweller")<ref>Gili-Vassere,{{clarify|date=December 2012}} 2000–2001, 33–37.</ref> and from the god [[Lugus]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.celtnet.org.uk/gods_l/lugus.html |title=Lugus: A pan-Celtic god (The Shining One or the Shadowy One) |access-date=2014-08-24 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518035029/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/gods_l/lugus.html |archive-date=18 May 2013 }} – Lugus – A Celtic God, also known as Lugos, Lleu, Lug, Lugh, Lugus: The Shining One or The Shadowy One</ref> In [[Romansh language|Romansch]], especially in traditional [[Sursilvan]] dialect, the city is known as ''Ligiaun''.

==History==
===Pre-history===
The shores of Lake Lugano have been inhabited since the [[Stone Age]]. Within the modern city limits (Breganzona, [[Castagnola, Switzerland|Castagnola]], Davesco and Gandria) several [[ground stone]]s or [[quern-stone]]s have been found. In the area surrounding Lugano, items from the [[Copper Age]] and the [[Iron Age]] have been found.<ref name="HDS Prehistory">{{HDS|2177<!--Section 1-1-->|Pre-History to Roman Times}}</ref> There are [[Etruscan language|Etruscan]] monuments at Davesco-Soragno (5th to 2nd century BC), Pregassona (3rd to 2nd century BC), and Viganello (3rd to 2nd century BC). Graves with jewellery and household items have been found in Aldesago, Davesco, Pazzallo and Pregassona along with [[Celts|Celtic]] money in Viganello.

The region around Lake Lugano was settled by the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] by the 1st century BC. There was an important Roman town north of Lugano at [[Bioggio]].<ref name="HDS Prehistory"/> There are fewer traces of the Romans in Lugano, but several inscriptions, graves and coins indicate that some Romans lived in what would become Lugano.

===Foundation of Lugano===
The first written mention of a settlement at Lugano can be found in documents, which are of disputed authenticity,<ref name="HDS Medieval"/> with which the Longobard king [[Liutprand, King of the Lombards|Liutprand]] ceded various assets located in Lugano to the Church of [[Carpophorus, Exanthus, Cassius, Severinus, Secundus, and Licinius|Saint Carpophorus]] in [[Como]] in 724. Other documents, dating from 804 and 844 refer to Lake Lugano as Laco Luanasco, and an act of 984 indicates Lugano as a market town.<ref name="HDS Medieval">{{HDS|2177<!--Section 1-2-->|Lugano (commune) – Medieval}}</ref>

During the fighting between [[Guelphs and Ghibellines]] and the new disputes between Como and [[Milan]], during the 14th and 15th centuries, Lugano was the scene of clashes between opposing forces. After a long rule by the Rusca family, Lugano was freed from the domination of Como, which had been taken over in 1335 from the [[Visconti of Milan|Visconti]]. At the same time, the link between the town and the valley strengthened. By 1405–06 documents attest to a ''vallis comunitas Lugani et'', a governing body that was independent of Como. The new community included the [[parish]]es of Lugano, [[Agno, Switzerland|Agno]], [[Riva San Vitale]] and [[Capriasca]]. In 1416 the Duke of Milan, [[Filippo Maria Visconti]], conquered the region of Lugano and the Rusca valley and made it a [[fief]]. A year later, Lugano's freedoms were first documented in a series of statutes modelled on those of Como. The town was able to secure complete independence.<ref name="HDS Medieval"/>

===Lugano during the Renaissance===
<gallery>
File:Bernardino Luini - Crucifixion and Scenes from the Life of Christ - WGA13751.jpg|Fresco by [[Bernardino Luini]], 1529
File:Cattedrale-di-San-Lorenzo-aerial-2.jpg|The 15th century [[Lugano Cathedral|Cathedral of San Lorenzo]] is now the seat of the [[Diocese of Lugano]]
File:Aurèle Robert - Cathédrale de Lugano.jpg|Interior of Lugano Cathedral, built in the 15th century
File:Gedeelte van de gevel van de Dom te Lugano, RP-T-1936-5(V).jpg|Drawing of the Lugano Cathedral, 1538
File:Aurèle Robert - Couvent à Lugano.jpg|Interior of the Franciscan Monastery, built in the 15th century
File:La Piccionaia, via Pioda.jpg|Civic building from the 15th century
</gallery>
Between 1433 and 1438 the Duke of Milan sat as a feudal lord over Lugano. He compensated the Rusca family with the ownership of Locarno. Under the reign of his heirs in the following decades rebellions and riots broke out, which lasted until the French invasion of 1499.<!-- 1799? -->

===Lugano as a dependency of the Old Swiss Confederacy===
{{main|Old Swiss Confederacy}}
<gallery>
File:Villa Favorita Lugano 01.JPG|Villa Favorita, built in 1687 for Karl Konrad von Beroldingen
</gallery>
Lugano was the object of continuous disputes between the sovereigns of Como and Milan, in particular by the powerful dynasties of the [[Visconti of Milan|Visconti]] (rulers of Milan) and the Rusca (rulers of Como), until it became a Swiss dominion in 1513.

An important name in this period was that of the [[von Beroldingen]], a noble family from [[Canton of Uri|Uri]], whose members between 1576 and 1798 served as chancellors of the ''Vogt'' residing in Lugano.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Z'Graggen |first1=Andreas |date=15 September 2018 |title=Die Eidgenossen hatten auch eigene Vögte |url=https://www.luzernerzeitung.ch/leben/auch-wir-hatten-unsere-vogte-ld.1053666 |access-date=21 December 2022 |website=[[Luzerner Zeitung]]}}</ref> A key member of this family was {{ill|Karl Konrad von Beroldingen|it}} (1624–1706), who served as Lugano's chancellor and general captain, serving also Spain, and receiving the title of Baron from [[Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor|Leopold I]] in 1691. He commissioned the construction of Palazzo Beroldingen, on the site of the current {{ill|Parco Ciani|it}}, and {{ill|Villa Favorita (Lugano)|it|lt=Villa Favorita}}, in [[Castagnola, Switzerland|Castagnola]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kälin |first1=Urs |title=Beroldingen, Karl Konrad von |url=https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/it/articles/015247/2017-12-12/ |website=Dizionario Storico della Svizzera |access-date=21 December 2022}}</ref>

===Lugano during the Enlightenment===
<gallery>
File:Zentralbibliothek Zürich - Lugano Bailliage en Italie appartenant aux Suisses - 991035412299705501.jpg|View after 1714
File:Thomas Smith - Town and Lake of Lugano - B1975.4.1745 - Yale Center for British Art.jpg|View in the mid-18th century
File:CH-NB - Grafiken Orts- und Landschaftsansichten - GS-GRAF-ANSI-TI-69.tif|View in 1790
File:Henri Rollan Lancelot - Lago de Lugano.jpg|View in the late 18th century
</gallery>
In 1746, the Agnelli brothers opened the first printing press and bookshop in Lugano. They began publishing the newspaper ''Nuove di diverse corti e paesi'' in 1748 and changed its name to ''Gazzetta di Lugano'' in 1797. The newspaper was widely read in north and central Italy. It supported the cause of the later [[Jansenist]]s against the [[Jesuit]]s and therefore was banned in 1768 in the territory of the [[Papal States]]. It was open to the themes of enlightened reform and the American Revolutionary War. It was the first newspaper in the Italian language to publish an excerpt from the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]] of 1776. After the death of Abbot Gian Battista Agnelli in 1788, who had been the editor for more than 40 years, Abbot Giuseppe Lodovico Maria Vanelli took over the paper. Under Abbot Vanelli, it supported the revolutionary ideas from France, which drew protests from the Austrian government in [[Lombardy]]. The publication of the magazine ceased abruptly after edition number 17 of 29 April 1799, following the anti-French riots in Lugano during which the Agnelli printing house was sacked and Abbot Vanelli was shot.<ref>{{HDS|30737|Nuove di diverse corti e paesi}}</ref>

Swiss control lasted until 1798 when [[Napoleon]] conquered the [[Old Swiss Confederation]] and created the [[Helvetic Republic]], within which Lugano became the capital of the [[Canton of Lugano]].

===Canton of Lugano===
{{main|Canton of Lugano}}
The canton of Lugano unified the former [[Landvogtei]]en of Lugano, [[Mendrisio]], [[Locarno]] and [[Vallemaggia|Valmaggia]]. However, as with the other cantons of the Helvetic Republic, the [[autonomy]] of Lugano was very limited, the republic having been founded by Napoleon in order further to centralise power in Switzerland. The canton was led by a [[French Directory|Directory]] of five members, who appointed a "national [[préfet]]".<ref name="HDS Canton">{{HLS|8637|Canton of Lugano}}</ref>

The canton was deeply divided between "patriots" supporting the [[Cisalpine Republic]], and traditionalist "[[Aristocracy (class)|aristocrats]]". By 1799 riots broke out in Lugano, and the second préfet, Francesco Capra, fled the town. Power passed to a [[provisional government]] sympathetic to the [[Habsburg]]s. However, French occupation was restored in 1800.<ref name="HDS Canton"/> Discontent continued and in early 1802 a revolt in Capriasca led to the autumn ''pronunciamento'' of Pian Povrò, which [[unilateral declaration of independence|declared the independence]] of Lugano from the Helvetic [[French client republic|client republic]].

With the [[Act of Mediation]], the following year, political agitation was finally quelled, as were the struggles between unionists and federalists. The canton of Lugano merged with [[Bellinzona]] creating the canton of [[Ticino]], which endures to the present day.

===Lugano in the early 19th century===
<gallery>
File:CH-NB-79 vues de la région du Mont-Blanc et de la Suisse-19500-page117.tif|Early 19th-century view
File:CH-NB - Grafiken Orts- und Landschaftsansichten - GS-GRAF-ANSI-TI-70.tif|View in 1815
File:Zancon, 1823, View of Lugano.jpg|View of Lugano in 1823
File:CH-NB - Lugano, von Süden - Collection Gugelmann - GS-GUGE-TRACHSLER-F-20.tif|Early 19th-century view
File:Die Gartenlaube (1867) b 525 1.jpg|View of the market in 1867
</gallery>
After 1803, the political municipality of Lugano was created. One of the primary tasks of the new city government was to determine the division of property and authority between the [[Bürgergemeinde|patriziato]] and the new political municipality. Two agreements between the two organizations, in 1804 and 1810, began this process. In the second half of the 19th century, the political municipality received various properties and rights from the patriziato. Francesco Capra, the préfet during the Helvetic Republic, became the first [[List of mayors of Lugano|mayor]] of Lugano from 1803 until 1813. The cantonal constitution of 1814, set Lugano, Bellinzona and Locarno as capitals of the Canton. They each served as the capital in a six-year rotation. Lugano was the capital in 1827–33, 1845–51 and 1863–69.<ref name="HDS 20"/>

In the 19th century, the city government was dominated by the [[Liberal Party of Switzerland|Liberal Party]]. In 1900, slightly more than half of the seats on the city council (at the time 50 total members, but 60 members since 2004) were held by Liberals. Most of the rest of the seats were held by either Conservatives or Socialists.

The city government initially had eleven members, but in 1908 their number was reduced to five and in 2004 increased to seven. Throughout most of the 20th century, the Liberals held the absolute majority here as well. The rest of the municipal executive posts were held by the Conservatives, the Socialists (1944–48, 1976–80 and since 2000) and the [[Ticino League]] (since 1992).

Around 1830 new civic and government buildings began to emerge in Lugano. The town also began to expand into the surrounding hills, along the Cassarate, and toward Molino Nuovo, Paradiso and Castagnola. In 1843–44 the city hall was built on the site of the Bishop's Palace (built in 1346). It housed the cantonal government in 1845–51 and again in 1863–69. Since 1890, it has housed the city government. The promenade was built in stages: the first part was in the 1870s, the second in the first decade of the 20th century. In the first decades of the 19th century, the roads that connect Lugano with Bellinzona (1808–12), Ponte Tresa (1808–20) and Chiasso (1810–16) were built. In 1848 the first steamboat on Lake Lugano began to operate, with regular, scheduled service since 1856.

===Modernization of the city===
<gallery>
File:Lugano, the quay, and San Salvatore, Tessin, Switzerland-LCCN2001703242.jpg|Late 19th-century view
File:Lugano, on the quay, Tessin, Switzerland-LCCN2001703243.tif|Late 19th-century view
File:Lugano, the quay, Tessin, Switzerland-LCCN2001703240.jpg|Late 19th-century view
File:Lugano, and Monte Brè, Tessin, Switzerland-LCCN2001703236.tif|Late 19th-century view
File:Lugano, from Massagno, Tessin, Switzerland-LCCN2001703235.jpg|Late 19th-century view
File:Lugano, from San Salvatore, Tessin, Switzerland-LCCN2001703233.jpg|Late 19th-century view
File:Louis Michel Eilshemius - Street in Lugano - Google Art Project.jpg|View of a street in 1893
File:Panorama van Lugano 929, 930, 931 (serietitel), RP-F-00-243.jpg|Late 19th-century panorama
File:Hotel Du Parc et Beau-Sejour Lugano Arch Paolito Somazzi 1904-05 FotoWehrli.jpg|Hôtel Du Parc et Beau-Sejour, 1904–1905
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-07007A, Lugano, Grand Hotel Palace.jpg|Grand Hôtel Palace in 1928
File:Tami Brüder, Brutarchitekt.jpg|Library built in the 1940s
</gallery>

The construction of the [[Melide causeway]] between Melide and Bissone in 1844–47 favoured the development of the Chiasso-Bellinzona-Lugano-Gotthard line at the expense of the north–south route along [[Lake Maggiore]]. This tendency for development was strengthened further in 1882 with the completion of the [[Gotthardbahn|Gotthard railway line]]. The railway station was built in 1874–77 in Lugano, and transformed it into one of the main links between northern Italy and central and northern Europe, which led to the development of tourism and in general, helped the services sector.<ref name="HDS 20"/>

From the mid-19th century to 1970 the city recorded consistent population growth, especially between 1880 and 1910, when the population more than doubled. This increase was partly due to foreign nationals settling in Lugano (in 1870 18.7% of the population, 1910 43.6%) and people from other language areas of Switzerland (1870 1.4% of the population, 1910 6.9%). In the last three decades of the 20th century, the population fell slightly, despite the merger in 1972, of the municipalities of [[Castagnola, Switzerland|Castagnola]] and Brè-Aldesago. This reflected a trend to move away from the centre to the suburban communities.<ref name="HDS 20"/>

However, in 2004 the municipalities of Breganzona, [[Cureggia]], [[Davesco-Soragno]], [[Gandria]], [[Pambio-Noranco]], [[Pazzallo]], [[Pregassona]] and [[Viganello]] were incorporated into the municipality and followed by [[Barbengo]], [[Carabbia]] and [[Villa Luganese]] in 2008. This, among other factors, resulted in a doubling of the population to 52,059 in 2006, of which over a third were foreigners.<ref name="HDS 20"/><ref name=Fusion>{{cite web | url = http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/nomenklaturen/blank/blank/gem_liste/03.html | title = Amtliches Gemeindeverzeichnis der Schweiz |trans-title=Official community register of Switzerland | publisher = Swiss Federal Statistical Office | language = de | access-date = 14 January 2010}}</ref> In 2013 the municipalities of [[Bogno]], [[Cadro]], [[Carona TI|Carona]], [[Certara]], [[Cimadera]], [[Sonvico]] and [[Val Colla]] were incorporated into the municipality.

===Postwar Lugano===
<gallery>
File:Lugano Banca del Gottardo.jpg|[[Banca del Gottardo]] designed by [[Mario Botta]] in the 1980s
File:ETH-BIB LBS SR05-090023-33 Edificio Ransila I Lugano 1990.jpg|Edificio Ransila I designed by [[Mario Botta]]
</gallery>
Following the [[Second World War]], and particularly during the 1960s and 70s, thanks to an abundant flow of capital from nearby Italy,<ref name="HDS 20"/> Lugano experienced a period of exponential growth in banking activities which led to it placing itself as the third financial centre of Switzerland,<ref name="City History"/><ref name="Times">{{cite web | url = http://www.bcglocations.com/switzerland/lugano/lugano_intro.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220214051353/http://www.bcglocations.com/switzerland/lugano/lugano_intro.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 14 February 2022 | title = TimesOnline Business City Guide – Lugano | work = The Times | access-date = 18 February 2009 }}</ref> with over 100 banking institutions present in the city.<ref name="HDS 20">{{HDS|2177<!--Section 1-4-->|Lugano (commune) – 19th and 20th Century}}</ref> Trade, tourism and finance are the mainstays of the local economy. In 2000, nine-tenths of the workers were employed in the services sector, of which three-quarters were commuters, including many cross-border commuters (13% of the working population).

Lugano was the host city of the [[Eurovision Song Contest 1956|1956 Eurovision Song Contest]], the first-ever edition of the contest. In 1975, the Congress Center was built followed in 1978 by the new City Hospital. In 1963 the city acquired the land for the airfield Lugano-Agno, and the first scheduled flights was in 1980. At the beginning of the 21st century they began the Grande Lugano projects, including: the car tunnel Vedeggio-Cassarate, which started in 2005 and connects the [[A2 motorway (Switzerland)|A2 motorway]] with the neighbourhood of Cornaredo, the creation of a new Kulturpol on the site of the former Grand Hôtel Palace and a convention and exhibition centre in the area of Campo Marzio.<ref name="HDS 20"/>

===Israeli replication===

In June 2011, officials of the Israeli town of [[Yehud, Israel|Yehud]] announced they would undertake a massive construction project to replicate Lugano's old square in the centre of their town, to reinvigorate commerce and tourism. The replica will be replete with neoclassical columns and colonnades.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/real-estate/sleepy-israeli-town-to-construct-replica-of-italian-neighborhood-1.370391 | title = Sleepy Israeli town to construct replica of Italian neighborhood | first = Noam | last = Dvir | work = Haaretz.com | publisher = Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd | date = 30 June 2011 | access-date = 20 July 2012}}</ref>

==Geography and climate==

===Topography===
[[File:Lugano Bay.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Lugano and its bay]]
The municipality Lugano lies at the edge of Lake Lugano ({{langx|it|Lago di Lugano}} or {{lang|it|Ceresio}}), which is situated between the lakes [[Lago Maggiore]] and [[Lago di Como]], south of the [[Swiss Alps|Alps]]. It lies at the heart of the [[Sottoceneri]], that part of the [[canton of Ticino]] that lies south of the [[Monte Ceneri Pass]].<ref name=scm>{{cite map|publisher = Swiss Confederation|title = map.geo.admin.ch|url = http://map.geo.admin.ch/?selectedNode=node_ch.are.gemeindetyp-1990-9klassen1&Y=716839.5&X=94207.5&zoom=7&bgLayer=ch.swisstopo.pixelkarte-farbe&layers=ch.swisstopo.swissboundaries3d-gemeinde-flaeche.fill,ch.are.gemeindetyp-1990-9klassen&layers_opacity=1,0.4&layers_visibility=true,true&lang=en|access-date = 17 July 2012}}</ref>

The city centre is located on the lake shore just to the west of where the river [[Cassarate (river)|Cassarate]] enters the lake. The city's waterfront forms a crescent around the bay between the [[Monte Brè|Brè]] ({{convert|925|m|ft|abbr=on|disp=x| [|]}}) and the [[Monte San Salvatore|San Salvatore]] ({{convert|912|m|ft|abbr=on|disp=x| [|]}}) mountains.<ref name=scm/>

Because of the historical development of the city, incorporating some relatively distant suburbs but leaving other, nearer, suburbs as independent municipalities, the borders of the city are disparate. A large and sparsely populated section of the city is on the east bank of Lake Lugano and separated from the city by that lake. Similarly, the inner-urban but independent municipality of [[Paradiso, Switzerland|Paradiso]] is a near-[[enclave]], totally surrounded as it is by the municipality and Lake Lugano.<ref name=scm/>

Based on the 1997 land survey, {{as of|2013|lc=on}} the municipality Lugano has a total area of {{convert|32.09|km2|sqmi|abbr=off}}. Of this area, {{convert|3.25|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} or 10.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while {{convert|6.73|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} or 21.0% is forested. Of the rest of the land, {{convert|4.48|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} or 14.0% is settled (buildings or roads), {{convert|0.04|km2|acre|abbr=on}} or 0.1% is either rivers or lakes and {{convert|0.12|km2|acre|abbr=on}} or 0.4% is unproductive land.{{citation needed|reason=Figures add up to less than 50% with no explanation. Need cite to provide explanation.|date=November 2012}}

Of the built-up area, housing and buildings made up 9.4% and transportation infrastructure made up 3.0%. while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 1.2%. Out of the forested land, all of the forested land area is covered with heavy forests. Of the agricultural land, 0.5% is used for growing crops and 9.4% is used for alpine pastures. Almost all the water in the municipality is in lakes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=02&key1_testo=Territorio%20e%20ambiente&key1=02&key2=01&key3=01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707003738/http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=02&key1_testo=Territorio%20e%20ambiente&key1=02&key2=01&key3=01 |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 July 2011 |title=Altitudine, superficie, secondo il genere di utilizzazione, rilevazione 1992/1997, e densità della popolazione, nel 2000 |language=it |trans-title=Altitude, surface, and land usage survey 1992/1997, and population density in 2000 |access-date=25 October 2010 }}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason = Current cited source is a dead link; the Wayback Machine's archived copy shows no signs of these figures.|date=December 2023}}

===Climate===
[[File:Santa Maria di Loreto (Lugano) - 12.jpg|thumb|Cypresses and olive trees at the Santa Maria di Loreto Church]]
Lugano is amongst [[Climate of Switzerland|the warmest places in Switzerland]], along with [[Locarno#Climate|Locarno]] and [[Grono, Switzerland#Climate|Grono]]. Lugano has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: Cfa) due to the warmer average being above 22&nbsp;°C (71.6&nbsp;°F).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yatra.com/international-tourism/lugano-travel-guide|title=Lugano Traval Guide|website=Yatra.com}}</ref> The vegetation is from the [[subtropics]] with [[Deciduous|deciduous forest]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OLDxCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA189|title=Vegetation of the Earth and Ecological Systems of the Geo-biosphere|last=Walter|first=Heinrich|date=2012-12-06|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-3-642-96859-4|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ticino.ch/en/commons/details/Nature-and-climate/42676.html|title=Nature and climate {{!}} ticino.ch|last=Ltd|first=Magnolia International|website=Ticino.ch|language=en|access-date=2019-02-11}}</ref> It is characterized by relatively mild winters and warm humid summers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lugano.climatemps.com/|title=Lugano Climate Lugano Temperatures Lugano Weather Averages|website=Lugano.climatemps.com|access-date=27 June 2019}}</ref> It has an average of 98.1 days of rain or snow per year and on average receives {{convert|1559|mm|in|abbr=on}} of [[Precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]]. The wettest month is May during which Lugano receives an average of {{convert|196|mm|in|abbr=on}} of rain, while the driest month of the year is February with an average of {{convert|52|mm|in|abbr=on}} of precipitation over 4.6 days.<ref name=LUG_np8110/>

Located on a plain in southern [[Switzerland]] and protected by the [[Alps]] and [[lake]]s, the climate is one of the mildest in the country, typical of the [[Italian Lakes]] in the Insubrian region. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year, while temperature fluctuations remain moderate. Lugano is also one of the sunniest [[List of cities in Switzerland|Swiss cities]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.meteosvizzera.admin.ch/content/dam/meteoswiss/it/Publikationen/doc/Resoconto-gennaio2017.pdf|title=Bollettino del clima gennaio 2017|publisher=[[MeteoSwiss]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190211165345/https://www.meteosvizzera.admin.ch/content/dam/meteoswiss/it/Publikationen/doc/Resoconto-gennaio2017.pdf|archive-date=11 February 2019|access-date=11 February 2019}}</ref> The heaviest rainfall tends to occur just before and just after the summer months. January typically has around 27 to 28 nights below freezing, though severe cold is rare and does not occur every year. Much of the summer is pleasant, but warm days above 30&nbsp;°C (86&nbsp;°F) are not uncommon (average of about 8 days).<ref name=LUG_np8110>{{Cite web|url=https://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/product/output/climate-data/climate-diagrams-normal-values-station-processing/LUG/climsheet_LUG_np8110_e.pdf|title=Climate normals Lugano|publisher=[[MeteoSwiss]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190211165223/https://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/product/output/climate-data/climate-diagrams-normal-values-station-processing/LUG/climsheet_LUG_np8110_e.pdf|archive-date=11 February 2019|url-status=live|access-date=11 February 2019}}</ref> It usually snows every winter, but often a single snowfall doesn't leave more than 50&nbsp;cm on the ground. Heavier snowfalls or blizzards are possible but not very common.<ref name="LUG_np8110" />

The highest temperature recorded in Lugano is {{convert|38.0|C|F}}, recorded in July 1945, with the lowest temperature recorded being {{convert|-20.4|C|F}}, recorded in February 1929.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://eca.knmi.nl//download/millennium/millennium.php| title = Indices Data – Lugano (Station 242)| access-date = 12 February 2019| publisher = [[KNMI (institute)|KNMI]]| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180709010608/https://eca.knmi.nl//download/millennium/millennium.php| archive-date = 9 July 2018| url-status = dead| df = dmy-all}}</ref>

{{Weather box
| location = Lugano (coast of [[Lake Lugano]]), elevation: {{convert|273|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1901–present
| metric first = Y
| single line = Y
| Jan record high C = 23.1
| Feb record high C = 25.0
| Mar record high C = 27.3
| Apr record high C = 31.6
| May record high C = 32.6
| Jun record high C = 36.2
| Jul record high C = 38.0
| Aug record high C = 36.4
| Sep record high C = 36.0
| Oct record high C = 28.9
| Nov record high C = 22.8
| Dec record high C = 21.4
| Jan high C = 7.1
| Feb high C = 9.0
| Mar high C = 13.5
| Apr high C = 16.7
| May high C = 20.8
| Jun high C = 24.9
| Jul high C = 27.3
| Aug high C = 26.8
| Sep high C = 22.1
| Oct high C = 16.9
| Nov high C = 11.6
| Dec high C = 7.7
| year high C = 17.0
| Jan mean C = 3.8
| Feb mean C = 5.0
| Mar mean C = 8.9
| Apr mean C = 12.3
| May mean C = 16.3
| Jun mean C = 20.4
| Jul mean C = 22.6
| Aug mean C = 22.1
| Sep mean C = 17.9
| Oct mean C = 13.2
| Nov mean C = 8.4
| Dec mean C = 4.6
| year mean C = 13.2
| Jan low C = 1.2
| Feb low C = 1.9
| Mar low C = 5.2
| Apr low C = 8.5
| May low C = 12.4
| Jun low C = 16.1
| Jul low C = 18.0
| Aug low C = 17.8
| Sep low C = 14.2
| Oct low C = 10.2
| Nov low C = 5.7
| Dec low C = 2.0
| year low C = 9.4
| Jan record low C = -12.5
| Feb record low C = -20.4
| Mar record low C = -7.0
| Apr record low C = -2.7
| May record low C = 0.5
| Jun record low C = 4.2
| Jul record low C = 8.0
| Aug record low C = 6.5
| Sep record low C = 2.0
| Oct record low C = -2.4
| Nov record low C = -6.0
| Dec record low C = -9.6
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 65.5
|Feb precipitation mm = 61.3
|Mar precipitation mm = 75.5
|Apr precipitation mm = 138.0
|May precipitation mm = 177.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 171.5
|Jul precipitation mm = 157.9
|Aug precipitation mm = 158.2
|Sep precipitation mm = 164.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 149.7
|Nov precipitation mm = 166.6
|Dec precipitation mm = 79.9
|year precipitation mm = 1566.6
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 5.3
| Feb precipitation days = 5.0
| Mar precipitation days = 6.3
| Apr precipitation days = 9.9
| May precipitation days = 11.6
| Jun precipitation days = 10.1
| Jul precipitation days = 8.2
| Aug precipitation days = 9.6
| Sep precipitation days = 8.7
| Oct precipitation days = 9.2
| Nov precipitation days = 9.3
| Dec precipitation days = 6.3
| year precipitation days = 99.5
| Jan snow cm = 6.0
| Feb snow cm = 4.6
| Mar snow cm = 1.5
| Apr snow cm = 0.0
| May snow cm = 0.0
| Jun snow cm = 0.0
| Jul snow cm = 0.0
| Aug snow cm = 0.0
| Sep snow cm = 0.0
| Oct snow cm = 0.0
| Nov snow cm = 0.5
| Dec snow cm = 8.6
| year snow cm = 21.2
| unit snow days = 1.0 cm
| Jan snow days = 0.8
| Feb snow days = 1.0
| Mar snow days = 0.3
| Apr snow days = 0.0
| May snow days = 0.0
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.0
| Nov snow days = 0.2
| Dec snow days = 1.2
| year snow days = 3.5
| Jan humidity = 70
| Feb humidity = 66
| Mar humidity = 62
| Apr humidity = 66
| May humidity = 69
| Jun humidity = 68
| Jul humidity = 66
| Aug humidity = 69
| Sep humidity = 72
| Oct humidity = 78
| Nov humidity = 74
| Dec humidity = 70
| year humidity = 69
|Jan sun = 123.8
|Feb sun = 142.3
|Mar sun = 191.8
|Apr sun = 182.2
|May sun = 199.9
|Jun sun = 228.8
|Jul sun = 260.3
|Aug sun = 244.5
|Sep sun = 192.1
|Oct sun = 141.3
|Nov sun = 105.4
|Dec sun = 107.3
|year sun = 2119.7
| Jan percentsun = 56
| Feb percentsun = 57
| Mar percentsun = 57
| Apr percentsun = 51
| May percentsun = 51
| Jun percentsun = 59
| Jul percentsun = 66
| Aug percentsun = 65
| Sep percentsun = 57
| Oct percentsun = 48
| Nov percentsun = 46
| Dec percentsun = 53
| year percentsun = 56
| source 1 = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name=NOAA1>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20241211110935/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/5.5/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Switzerland/CSV/Lugano_06770.csv
| archive-date = 11 December 2024
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/5.5/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Switzerland/CSV/Lugano_06770.csv
| title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020
| work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = 11 December 2024}}</ref>
| source 2 = [[MeteoSwiss]]<ref name=MeteoSwiss>{{cite web 
| url = https://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/product/output/climate-data/climate-diagrams-normal-values-station-processing/LUG/climsheet_LUG_np9120_e.pdf 
| title = Climate Normals Lugano (Reference period 1991−2020) 
| publisher = Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, MeteoSwiss 
| date = 13 January 2022 
| access-date = 13 January 2022 
| archive-date = 14 January 2022 
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220114044733/https://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/product/output/climate-data/climate-diagrams-normal-values-station-processing/LUG/climsheet_LUG_np9120_e.pdf 
| url-status = dead 
}}</ref>[[Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute|KNMI]]<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://eca.knmi.nl//download/millennium/millennium.php| title = Indices Data – Lugano (Station 242)| access-date = 12 February 2019| publisher = [[KNMI (institute)|KNMI]]
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180709010608/https://eca.knmi.nl//download/millennium/millennium.php| archive-date = 9 July 2018| url-status = dead| df = dmy-all}}</ref>
| source = 
}}
{{Weather box    
| width        = 100% <!-- 77% if there is a template or image next to it -->
| collapsed    = y <!-- y, if you have normal updates -->
| open         = 
| metric first = y <!-- always, except UK or US cities -->
| single line  = y
| location     = Lugano (coast of [[Lake Lugano]]), elevation: {{convert|273|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, 1961-1990 normals and extremes
<!--in the order as it appears in the table, not all of the following data may be available, especially records and days of precipitation -->
| Jan mean C  =2.5    
| Feb mean C  =3.7    
| Mar mean C  =7.0    
| Apr mean C  =11.0    
| May mean C  =14.7      
| Jun mean C  =18.4      
| Jul mean C  =21.1     
| Aug mean C  =20.2  
| Sep mean C  =16.9        
| Oct mean C  =11.9     
| Nov mean C  =6.8
| Dec mean C  =3.6    
| Jan high C  =5.8    
| Feb high C  =7.0    
| Mar high C  =11.1    
| Apr high C  =14.7    
| May high C  =18.5    
| Jun high C  =22.5    
| Jul high C  =25.2    
| Aug high C  =24.1    
| Sep high C  =20.6    
| Oct high C  =15.4    
| Nov high C  =10.4    
| Dec high C  =6.9    
| Jan avg record high C  =13.0 
| Feb avg record high C  =13.8 
| Mar avg record high C  =18.1 
| Apr avg record high C  =21.5 
| May avg record high C  =24.6 
| Jun avg record high C  =27.9 
| Jul avg record high C  =29.7 
| Aug avg record high C  =28.5 
| Sep avg record high C  =25.5 
| Oct avg record high C  =21.0 
| Nov avg record high C  =16.6 
| Dec avg record high C  =13.8
| Jan record high C =21.9    
| Feb record high C =18.0    
| Mar record high C =23.4    
| Apr record high C =25.7     
| May record high C =28.7     
| Jun record high C =32.7     
| Jul record high C =37.1     
| Aug record high C =31.2     
| Sep record high C =30.8     
| Oct record high C =26.0     
| Nov record high C =24.6    
| Dec record high C =21.2    
| Jan low C  =-0.2
| Feb low C  =1.0    
| Mar low C  =3.5    
| Apr low C  =7.3     
| May low C  =10.8     
| Jun low C  =13.7     
| Jul low C  =16.1    
| Aug low C  =15.6    
| Sep low C  =12.8     
| Oct low C  =8.6     
| Nov low C  =3.8
| Dec low C  =1.0    
| Jan avg record low C  =-3.9 
| Feb avg record low C  =-2.6 
| Mar avg record low C  =-0.7 
| Apr avg record low C  =3.2 
| May avg record low C  =6.7 
| Jun avg record low C  =9.5 
| Jul avg record low C  =12.2 
| Aug avg record low C  =11.9 
| Sep avg record low C  =9.1 
| Oct avg record low C  =4.3 
| Nov avg record low C  =-0.4 
| Dec avg record low C  =-2.5 
| Jan record low C  =-9.0
| Feb record low C  =-7.6
| Mar record low C  =-6.5
| Apr record low C  =0.2
| May record low C  =4.1
| Jun record low C  =6.8
| Jul record low C  =9.2
| Aug record low C  =9.5
| Sep record low C  =6.0
| Oct record low C  =1.6
| Nov record low C  =-3.0
| Dec record low C  =-6.0
| precipitation colour  = green
| Jan precipitation mm  =79.0     
| Feb precipitation mm  =74.0     
| Mar precipitation mm  =110.0     
| Apr precipitation mm  =157.0    
| May precipitation mm  =201.0    
| Jun precipitation mm  =175.0    
| Jul precipitation mm  =138.0    
| Aug precipitation mm  =173.0    
| Sep precipitation mm  =160.0    
| Oct precipitation mm  =146.0     
| Nov precipitation mm  =126.0     
| Dec precipitation mm  =65.0    
| Jan humidity    =71.0
| Feb humidity    =69.0
| Mar humidity    =65.0
| Apr humidity    =65.0
| May humidity    =70.0
| Jun humidity    =69.0
| Jul humidity    =67.0
| Aug humidity    =70.0
| Sep humidity    =74.0
| Oct humidity    =76.0
| Nov humidity    =73.0
| Dec humidity    =70.0
| Jan sun  =118.3
| Feb sun  =122.8
| Mar sun  =164.8
| Apr sun  =175.7
| May sun  =181.6
| Jun sun  =215.5
| Jul sun  =250.7
| Aug sun  =230.0
| Sep sun  =189.4
| Oct sun  =152.5
| Nov sun  =109.0
| Dec sun  =117.3
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days  =6.0
| Feb precipitation days  =7.0
| Mar precipitation days  =8.0
| Apr precipitation days  =10.0
| May precipitation days  =14.0
| Jun precipitation days  =11.0
| Jul precipitation days  =9.0
| Aug precipitation days  =10.0
| Sep precipitation days  =8.0
| Oct precipitation days  =8.0
| Nov precipitation days  =8.0
| Dec precipitation days  =6.0
| source = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name = noaa>{{Cite FTP | url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_VI/SW/06770.TXT
| server = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]
| title = Lugano (06770) - WMO Weather Station
| access-date = February 11, 2019
}}</ref>

}}

==Politics==
[[File:Piazza Riforma, Lugano 7.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|The Piazza della Riforma is one of the main squares of Lugano. It includes the Town Hall of Lugano (left), named ''Palazzo Civico'']]

===Coat of arms===
The [[blazon]] of the municipal [[coat of arms]] is Gules, a cross throughout argent, between the upper case serif letters L, V, G and A (respectively in the I, II, III and IV quarters). The coat of arms dates from around 1200. The four letters on the coat of arms are an abbreviation of the name Lugano.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ch-ti144.html | publisher = Flags of the World Website | title = Lugano commune (Ticino canton, Switzerland) | access-date = 20 July 2012}}
"Gastone Cambin in the armorial of the communes of Tessin says that there has been a lot of strange conjectures about the meaning of the letters LUGA. It is obvious that they are simply the abbreviation of Lugano as it is proved by the primitive coat of arms of the parish, and which is confirmed by documents from 18 October 1208 and 14 November 1209, preserved once in the monastery of Sant'Amborgio of Milan but now undiscoverable. Cambin never alludes to 'La Vera Giustizia Antica' in his approach of the coat of arms of Lugano and I'm inclined to think that the meaning quoted by Mr. Huber [who submitted this interpretation on 30 April 2002] has expanded recently but without solid background." Pascal Gross, 2 May 2002</ref>

===Neighborhoods and circles===
The municipality is subdivided into 25{{citation needed |reason=25 contradicts immediately following cite, which states 21|date=July 2020}} [[quartieri]] (neighborhoods)<ref name=quartieri>{{cite web|url = http://www.lugano.ch/citta-amministrazione/quartieri.html|title = Quartieri|language = it |trans-title=districts|publisher = City of Lugano|access-date = 23 July 2012}}</ref> which are grouped into three (cantonal) circles.<ref>{{cite web |title=CAN – Raccolta delle leggi del Cantone Ticino |url=https://www3.ti.ch/CAN/RLeggi/public/index.php/raccolta-leggi/legge/vid/2 |access-date=27 June 2019 |website=3.ti.ch}}</ref>

Quarters 1–9 are the older quarters of the city, which have been added to by successive enlargements of the municipality in 2004, 2008 and 2013; these enlargements involved previously independent municipalities becoming parts of the municipality.

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed zebra" style="text-align:right;"
|+ class="nowrap" | Quarters
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
! Quartier !! No.&nbsp;!! BFS-Code !! Date joined Lugano !! Former municipality !! Circle
| rowspan="26" | [[File:Karte Quartiere Bezirk Lugano 2013.png|550px|Quartieri of Lugano]]
|-
|align="left"|[[Aldesago]]
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|5192001
|align="center"|1972
|align="center"|[[Brè-Aldesago]]
|align="center"|East
|-
|align="left"|[[Besso, Ticino|Besso]]
|align="center"|2
|align="center"|5192002
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|West
|-
|align="left"|[[Brè]]
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|5192003
|align="center"|1972
|align="center"|Brè-Aldesago
|align="center"|East
|-
|align="left"|[[Caprino, Switzerland|Caprino]]
|align="center"|4
|align="center"|5192004
|align="center"|1972
|align="center"|[[Castagnola-Cassarate]]
|align="center"|East
|-
|align="left"|[[Cassarate]]
|align="center"|5
|align="center"|5192005
|align="center"|1972
|align="center"|Castagnola-Cassarate
|align="center"|East
|-
|align="left"|[[Castagnola, Switzerland|Castagnola]]
|align="center"|6
|align="center"|5192006
|align="center"|1972
|align="center"|Castagnola-Cassarate
|align="center"|East
|-
|align="left"|[[Lugano Centro|Centro]]
|align="center"|7
|align="center"|5192007
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|West
|-
|align="left"|[[Loreto, Switzerland|Loreto]]
|align="center"|8
|align="center"|5192008
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|West
|-
|align="left"|[[Molino Nuovo]]
|align="center"|9
|align="center"|5192009
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|West
|-
|align="left"|[[Breganzona]]
|align="center"|11
|align="center"|5192011
|align="center"|2004
|align="center"|Breganzona
|align="center"|West
|-
|align="left"|[[Cureggia]]
|align="center"|12
|align="center"|5192012
|align="center"|2004
|align="center"|Cureggia
|align="center"|East
|-
|align="left"|[[Davesco-Soragno]]
|align="center"|13
|align="center"|5192013
|align="center"|2004
|align="center"|Davesco-Soragno
|align="center"|North
|-
|align="left"|[[Gandria]]
|align="center"|14
|align="center"|5192014
|align="center"|2004
|align="center"|Gandria
|align="center"|East
|-
|align="left"|[[Pambio-Noranco]]
|align="center"|15
|align="center"|5192015
|align="center"|2004
|align="center"|Pambio-Noranco
|align="center"|East
|-
|align="left"|[[Pazzallo]]
|align="center"|16
|align="center"|5192016
|align="center"|2004
|align="center"|Pazzallo
|align="center"|West
|-
|align="left"|[[Pregassona]]
|align="center"|17
|align="center"|5192017
|align="center"|2004
|align="center"|Pregassona
|align="center"|East
|-
|align="left"|[[Viganello]]
|align="center"|18
|align="center"|5192018
|align="center"|2004
|align="center"|Viganello
|align="center"|East
|-
|align="left"|[[Barbengo]]
|align="center"|19
|align="center"|5192021
|align="center"|2008
|align="center"|Barbengo
|align="center"|West
|-
|align="left"|[[Carabbia]]
|align="center"|20
|align="center"|5192022
|align="center"|2008
|align="center"|Carabbia
|align="center"|West
|-
|align="left"|[[Villa Luganese]]
|align="center"|21
|align="center"|5192023
|align="center"|2008
|align="center"|Villa Luganese
|align="center"|North
|-
|align="left"|[[Cadro]]
|align="center"|22
|align="center"|5192024
|align="center"|2013
|align="center"|Cadro
|align="center"|North
|-
|align="left"|[[Carona TI|Carona]]
|align="center"|23
|align="center"|5192025
|align="center"|2013
|align="center"|Carona
|align="center"|West
|-
|align="left"|[[Sonvico]]
|align="center"|24
|align="center"|5192026
|align="center"|2013
|align="center"|Sonvico
|align="center"|North
|-
|align="left"|[[Valcolla|Val Colla]]
|align="center"|25
|align="center"|5192027
|align="center"|2013
|align="center"|[[Cimadera]], [[Certara]], [[Bogno]], [[Valcolla]]
|align="center"|North
|}{{citation needed |reason=list contradicts previous cite at top of section, which lists 21 quarters|date=July 2020}}

===Elections===
====Cantonal====
{{update section|date=January 2022}}

In the {{as of|2007|alt=2007}} [[Grand Council of Ticino]] election, there were a total of 27,557 registered voters in Lugano, of which 15,214 or 55.2% voted. 237 blank ballots and 38 null ballots were cast, leaving 14,939 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the [[FDP.The Liberals|PLR]] which received 3,680 or 24.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the [[Ticino League|Lega]] (with 2,854 or 19.1%), the SSI (with 2,532 or 16.9%) and the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|PS]] (with 2,170 or 14.5%).<ref name=Election>{{cite web|url=http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=17&key1_testo=Politica&key1=17&key2=02&key3=02 |title=Elezioni cantonali: Gran Consiglio, Consiglio di Stato |language=it |trans-title=Cantonal elections: Grand Council, Council of State |publisher=Repubblica e Cantone Ticino |access-date=23 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707003818/http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=17&key1_testo=Politica&key1=17&key2=02&key3=02 |archive-date=7 July 2011}}</ref>

In the {{as of|2007|alt=2007}} [[Council of State of Ticino]] election, 158 blank ballots and 79 null ballots were cast, leaving 14,980 valid ballots in the election. The most popular party was the Lega which received 3,839 or 25.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were; the PLR (with 3,596 or 24.0%), the PS (with 2,496 or 16.7%) and the SSI (with 2,169 or 14.5%).<ref name=Election/>

====National====
In the [[2019 Swiss federal election|2019 federal election]] for the [[National Council (Switzerland)|Swiss National Council]] the most popular party was the [[Ticino League|Lega]] which received 20.6% (-5.8) of the vote. The next five most popular parties were the [[FDP.The Liberals|PLR]] (20.3%, -2), the [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|PPD]] (14.0%, -1.1), [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|PS]] (13.9%, -1.3), the [[Swiss People's Party|UDC]] (13.2%, -0.2), and the [[Green Party of Switzerland|Green Party]] (11.1%, +7.0).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfsstatic/dam/assets/9386461/appendix |title=NR - Ergebnisse Parteien (Gemeinden) (INT1) |format=CSV |editor=Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO |type=official statistics |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO |via=opendata.swiss |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |date=28 November 2019 |language=de, fr, it |access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref> In the federal election a total of 15,639 votes were cast, and the [[voter turnout]] was 46.6%.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfsstatic/dam/assets/9386463/appendix |title=NR - Wahlbeteiligung (Gemeinden) (INT1) |format=CSV |editor=Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO |type=official statistics |via=opendata.swiss  |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |date=28 November 2019 |language=de, fr, it |access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref>

{{update section|date=January 2022}}

In the [[2007 Swiss federal election|2007 federal election]] the most popular party was the [[FDP.The Liberals|PLR]] which received 26.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the [[Ticino League|Lega]] (19%), the [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|PPD]] (18.71%) and the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|PS]] (17.46%). In the federal election, a total of 11,980 votes were cast, and the [[voter turnout]] was 42.8%.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/kataloge-datenbanken/tabellen.assetdetail.216301.html|publisher= Swiss Federal Statistical Office |title=Nationalratswahlen 2007: Stärke der Parteien nach Gemeinden|date= 9 January 2013 |language= de|trans-title=National council elections 2007: strength of the parties and voter turnout by municipality| access-date= 1 May 2017}}</ref>

==Demographics==
[[File:RB 20190713 Lugano Nacht.jpg|thumb|Night view of Lugano from [[Monte San Salvatore]]]]{{Historical populations|1850|12400|1860|12386|1870|13578|1880|13549|1888|15076|1900|18034|1910|23723|1920|23622|1930|26290|1941|28698|1950|30964|1960|35281|1970|44342|1980|48784|1990|50423|2000|55751|2010|60238|2020|62315|source=<ref>{{cite web |title=Bevölkerungsentwicklung nach institutionellen Gliederungen, 1850-2000 |trans-title=Population development according to institutional divisions, 1850-2000|url=https://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/pxweb/en/px-x-4004000000_101/-/px-x-4004000000_101.px/table/tableViewLayout2/?rxid=513a4f6a-09be-49d1-99c7-23421ad2dd49|publisher=[[Federal Statistical Office (Switzerland)|Federal Statistical Office]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Permanent resident population by Year, Canton / District / Commune|url=https://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/pxweb/en/px-x-0102010000_101/-/px-x-0102010000_101.px/table/tableViewLayout2/?rxid=18b2f0c5-2cf6-4847-9f6f-3f23d3e7129d|publisher=[[Federal Statistical Office (Switzerland)|Federal Statistical Office]]}}</ref>}}Since its union with some surrounding municipalities in 2004 (Breganzona, [[Cureggia]], [[Davesco-Soragno]], Gandria, [[Pambio-Noranco]], [[Pazzallo]], [[Pregassona]] and [[Viganello]]), 2008 (Barbengo, Carabbia and [[Villa Luganese]]) and 2013 ([[Bogno]], Cadro, [[Carona TI|Carona]], [[Certara]], [[Cimadera]], Sonvico and [[Val Colla]]), Lugano has a population ({{as of|{{Swiss populations YM|CH-TI}}|lc=on}}) of {{Swiss populations|CH-TI|5192}}{{Swiss populations ref|CH-TI}} and is, therefore, the canton's largest city.<ref name="stats">{{cite web | url = http://www.lugano.ch/en/lugano-politica/fatti-e-cifre/statistiche.html | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130904181430/http://www.lugano.ch/en/lugano-politica/fatti-e-cifre/statistiche.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 4 September 2013 | publisher = City of Lugano | title = Population | access-date = 4 September 2013 }}</ref> The expansion in 2004 was the second major expansion after the union in 1972 with the municipalities of Brè-Aldesago and [[Castagnola, Switzerland|Castagnola]]. {{as of|2015}}, 38.1% of the population do not hold [[Switzerland|Swiss]] citizenship and 14,778 or 23.2% of the population was born in Italy.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ständige und nichtständige Wohnbevölkerung nach institutionellen Gliederungen, Geburtsort und Staatsangehörigkeit (Land) - 2010-2015 |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/kataloge-datenbanken/daten.assetdetail.325718.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531205350/https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/kataloge-datenbanken/daten.assetdetail.325718.html |archive-date=31 May 2023 |access-date=31 October 2016 |work=Bundesamt für Statistik |language=de}}</ref>  In 2013, among the Swiss population (61.6%, 41,392), 24.3% (16,349) are Luganesi, 21.7% (14,585) from anywhere else in the canton of Ticino, and 15.6% (10,458) from other cantons in Switzerland.<ref name="Stat2013">{{cite web |year=2014 |title=Statistica della popolazione, delle attività economiche e della gestione stabili al 31 dicembre 2013 |url=http://www.lugano.ch/en/dms/site-lugano/documenti-vari/Fatti-e-cifre/Statistica-2013/Statistica%202013.pdf |access-date=2014-08-01 |pages=2–8 |language=it |type=PowerPoint presentation |quote=data from 31 Dec 2013 |issue=2013}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right;"
|+Largest groups of foreign residents 2013<ref name=Stat2013/>
|-
!Nationality || Number || % total<br />(foreigners)
|-
|{{flag|Italy}} || 15,047 || 22.4 (58.0)
|-
|{{flag|Portugal}} || 1,400 || 2.0 (5.4)
|-
|{{flag|Germany}} || 1,098 || 1.6 (4.3)
|-
|{{flag|Serbia}} || 949 || 1.4 (3.7)
|-
|{{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}} || 430 || 0.6 (1.7)
|-
|{{flag|Kosovo}} || 428 || 0.6 (1.7)
|-
|{{flag|Spain}} || 417 || 0.6 (1.6)
|-
|{{flag|France}} || 360 || 0.5 (1.4)
|-
|{{flag|Turkey}} || 351 || 0.5 (1.4)
|-
|{{flag|Croatia}} || 345 || 0.5 (1.3)
|-
|{{flag|Brazil}} || 310 || 0.5 (1.2)
|-
|{{flag|United States}} || 284 || 0.4 (1.1)
|-
|{{flag|Russia}} || 274 || 0.4 (1.0)
|-
|}

The city's economy provides an estimated 38,000 jobs,<ref name=stats/> over a third of which are occupied by cross-border commuters. Business, tourism and finance constitute the backbone of the local economy. In 2000, the tertiary sector offered 90% of all jobs in Lugano, of which 75% were occupied by commuters, many of which commute from neighbouring Italy (approximately 13% of the active working population); in the same year tax revenues reached CHF 104 million, of which CHF 59 million were attributable to the banking sector. The town is Switzerland's third largest [[Banking in Switzerland|banking]] centre after [[Zürich]] and [[Geneva]].<ref name="Times"/><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.lugano.ch/en/citta/welcome.cfm?catID=01001001 | publisher = City of Lugano | title = The history of Lugano | access-date = 12 January 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716191936/http://www.lugano.ch/en/citta/welcome.cfm?catID=01001001 | archive-date = 16 July 2011 | url-status = dead }}</ref> With regards to intercommunal financial equalisation, thanks to its financial strength Lugano contributes significantly to the equalisation fund.<ref name="HDS 20"/> The population is Italian-speaking and mainly [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] by faith. Lugano is the largest city outside Italy with Italian as official language.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldlistmania.com/top-20-cities-in-switzerland-on-population/|title=List of Major Cities in Switzerland on Population|website=Worldlistmania.com|date=8 February 2012|access-date=27 June 2019}}</ref>

Between 1997 and 2007, the population changed at a rate of 6.9%. Most of the population ({{as of|2000|lc=on}}) speaks [[Italian language|Italian]] (80.3%), with [[German language|German]] being second most common (7.1%) and [[Serbo-Croatian]] being third (2.7%).<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last= |title=Swiss Federal Statistical Office |url=http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105172441/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html |archive-date=5 January 2016 |access-date=9 January 2011 |website=}}</ref> Of the Swiss national languages ({{as of|2000|lc=on}}), 20,998 people speak Italian, 1,855 speak German, 597 people speak [[French language|French]], and 39 people speak [[Romansh language|Romansh]]. The remainder (3,071 people) speak another language.<ref name=Lang>{{cite web|url=http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=01&key1_testo=Popolazione&key1=01&key2=05&key3=00 |title=Popolazione residente, secondo la lingua principale e la religione, nel 2000 |language=it |trans-title=Resident population, according to the primary language and religion, in 2000 |access-date=23 November 2010 |publisher=Repubblica e Cantone Ticino |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707003908/http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=01&key1_testo=Popolazione&key1=01&key2=05&key3=00 |archive-date=7 July 2011  }}</ref>

{{as of|2008}}, the gender distribution of the population was 47.1% male and 52.9% female. The population was made up of 15,457 Swiss men (28.1% of the population), and 10,461 (19.0%) non-Swiss men. There were 19,417 Swiss women (35.3%), and 9,725 (17.7%) non-Swiss women.<ref name=Resident/>

In {{as of|2008|alt=2008}} there were 318 live births to Swiss citizens and 190 births to non-Swiss citizens, and in the same period there were 351 deaths of Swiss citizens and 92 non-Swiss citizen deaths. Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens decreased by 33 while the foreign population increased by 98. There were 7 Swiss men and 3 Swiss women who emigrated from Switzerland. At the same time, there were 672 non-Swiss men and 556 non-Swiss women who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources, including moves across municipal borders) was an increase of 197 and the non-Swiss population change was an increase of 706 people. This represents a [[Population growth#Population growth rate|population growth rate]] of 1.7%.<ref name=HDS_superweb>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/onlinedb/superweb/login.html |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office |work=Superweb database |title=Gemeinde Statistics 1981–2008 |language=de |trans-title=Municipality Statistics 1981–2008 |access-date=19 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628151016/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/onlinedb/superweb/login.html |archive-date=28 June 2010  }}</ref>

The age distribution, {{as of|2009|lc=on}}, in Lugano is; 4,666 children or 8.5% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 5,013 teenagers or 9.1% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 6,270 people or 11.4% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 8,267 people or 15.0% are between 30 and 39, 9,113 people or 16.6% are between 40 and 49, and 6,844 people or 12.4% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 6,459 people or 11.7% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 4,947 people or 9.0% are between 70 and 79, and there are 3,481 people or 6.3% who are over 80.<ref name=Resident>{{cite web |url=http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=01&key1_testo=Popolazione&key1=01&key2=02&key3=03 |title=Popolazione residente permanente |language=it |trans-title=Permanent resident population |access-date=23 November 2010 |publisher=Repubblica e Cantone Ticino |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707003757/http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=01&key1_testo=Popolazione&key1=01&key2=02&key3=03 |archive-date=7 July 2011 }}</ref>

{{as of|2000}} the average number of residents per living room was 0.61 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.6 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least {{convert|4|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 19.1% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words, did not pay rent (though they may have a [[Mortgage loan|mortgage]] or a [[rent-to-own]] agreement).<ref>{{cite book|author=Eurostat |title=Urban Audit Glossary |section=Housing (SA1) |version=2007 |url=http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/international/22/lexi.Document.116365.pdf |pages=17–18 |access-date=12 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091114023016/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/international/22/lexi.Document.116365.pdf |archive-date=14 November 2009 }}</ref>

{{as of|2000}}, there were 23,168 private households in the municipality and an average of 2 persons per household.<ref name=":0" /> {{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}} there were 489 single-family homes (or 20.6% of the total) out of a total of 2,372 inhabited buildings. There were 214 two-family buildings (9.0%) and 1,046 multi-family buildings (44.1%). There were also 623 buildings in the municipality that were multipurpose buildings (used for both housing and commercial or another purpose).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=09&key1_testo=Costruzioni%20e%20abitazioni&key1=09&key2=02&key3=01 |title=09.02.01 Edifici |language=it |trans-title=09.02.01 Buildings |publisher=Repubblica e Cantone Ticino |access-date=23 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707004037/http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=09&key1_testo=Costruzioni%20e%20abitazioni&key1=09&key2=02&key3=01 |archive-date=7 July 2011  }}</ref>

The vacancy rate for the municipality, {{as of|2008|alt=in 2008}}, was 0.64%. {{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}} there were 16,333 apartments in the municipality. The most common apartment size was the 3 room apartment of which there were 5,398. There were 1,811 single-room apartments and 2,019 apartments with five or more rooms.<ref name="09.02.02 Abitazioni">{{cite web|url=http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=09&key1_testo=Costruzioni%20e%20abitazioni&key1=09&key2=02&key3=02 |title=09.02.02 Abitazioni |language=it |trans-title=09.02.02 Housing |publisher=Repubblica e Cantone Ticino |access-date=23 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707004053/http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=09&key1_testo=Costruzioni%20e%20abitazioni&key1=09&key2=02&key3=02 |archive-date=7 July 2011  }}</ref> Of these apartments, a total of 13,342 apartments (81.7% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 2,485 apartments (15.2%) were seasonally occupied and 506 apartments (3.1%) were empty.<ref name="09.02.02 Abitazioni"/> {{as of|2007}}, the construction rate of new housing units was 3.3 new units per 1000 residents.<ref name=":0" />

{{as of|2003}} the average price to rent an average apartment in Lugano was 1073.49 [[Swiss franc]]s (CHF) per month (US$860, £480, €690 approx. exchange rate from 2003). The average rate for a one-room apartment was 623.12 CHF (US$500, £280, €400), a two-room apartment was about 809.81 CHF (US$650, £360, €520), a three-room apartment was about 1030.53 CHF (US$820, £460, €660) and a six or more room apartment cost an average of 1890.13 CHF (US$1510, £850, €1210). The average apartment price in Lugano was 96.2% of the national average of 1116 CHF.<ref name=BFS_rent>{{cite web | url = http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/05/06/blank/key/einfuehrung.html | publisher = Swiss Federal Statistical Office | title = Rental prices – 2003 data | language = de | access-date = 26 May 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100423161803/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/05/06/blank/key/einfuehrung.html | archive-date = 23 April 2010 | url-status = dead | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

===Historic population===
The population of the original town of Lugano (not including the municipalities added after 1972) is given in this chart:<ref name="HDS Commune"/>
<timeline>
Colors=
  id:lightgrey value:gray(0.9)
  id:darkgrey  value:gray(0.8)
ImageSize  = width:1020 height:210
PlotArea   = height:150 left:100 bottom:50 right:100
AlignBars  = justify
DateFormat = x.y
Period     = from:0 till:55000
TimeAxis   = orientation:vertical
AlignBars  = justify
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:darkgrey increment:5000 start:0
ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightgrey increment:1000 start:0
PlotData=
  color:yellowgreen width:40  mark:(line,white) align:center
  bar:1710 from:start till:2320 text:"2,302"
  bar:1783 from:start till:3761 text:"3,761"
  bar:1850 from: start till:5939 text:"5,939"
  bar:1870 from: start till:6836 text:"6,836"
  bar:1888 from: start till:8185 text:"8,185"
  bar:1900 from: start till:10847 text:"10,847"
  bar:1910 from: start till:14988 text:"14,988"
  bar:1930 from: start till:17672 text:"17,672"
  bar:1950 from: start till:21448 text:"21,448"
  bar:1970 from: start till:27121 text:"27,121"
  bar:1990 from: start till:25334 text:"25,334"
  bar:2000 from: start till:26560 text:"26,560"
  bar:2010 from: start till:54667 text:"54,667"
</timeline>

===Religion===
From the {{as of|2000|alt=2000 census}}, 18,035 or 67.9% were Catholic, while 1,517 or 5.7% belonged to the [[Swiss Reformed Church]]. There are 4,714 individuals (or about 17.75% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), and 2,294 individuals (or about 8.64% of the population) did not answer the question.<ref name=Lang/>

===Economy===
{{Update|section|date=August 2024}}
[[File:BancadelGottardo(Botta).JPG|thumb|[[BSI Ltd|BSI]] buildings in Lugano]] 
{{as of|2007|In 2007}}, Lugano had an unemployment rate of 5.59%. {{as of|2005}}, there were 77 people employed in the [[Primary sector of the economy|primary economic sector]] and about 28 businesses involved in this sector. 3,520 people were employed in the [[Secondary sector of the economy|secondary sector]] and there were 420 businesses in this sector.  33,601 people were employed in the [[Tertiary sector of the economy|tertiary sector]], with 3,877 businesses in this sector.<ref name=":0" /> There were 12,191 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 45.9% of the workforce.

{{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}}, there were 28,174 workers who commuted into the municipality and 3,994 workers who commuted away. Lugano is the economic centre of the region and draws about 7.1 workers into the municipality for every one leaving. About 12.4% of the workforce coming into Lugano are coming from outside Switzerland, while 1.6% of the locals commute out of Switzerland for work.<ref name=commuter>{{cite web|url=http://www.media-stat.admin.ch/stat/pendler/pop.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070804051358/http://www.media-stat.admin.ch/stat/pendler/pop.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 August 2007 |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office |title=Statweb |language=de |access-date=24 June 2010 }}</ref> Of the working population, 15.2% used public transportation to get to work, and 44.6% used a private car.<ref name=":0" />

{{as of|2009}}, there were 43 hotels in Lugano with a total of 1,584 rooms and 2,889 beds.<ref>{{cite web |title=Settori alberghiero e paralberghiero |url=http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=10&key1_testo=Turismo&key1=10&key2=03&key3=01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707003852/http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=10&key1_testo=Turismo&key1=10&key2=03&key3=01 |archive-date=7 July 2011 |access-date=23 November 2010 |publisher=Repubblica e Cantone Ticino |language=it}}</ref>

The airline [[Darwin Airline]], operating under the brand name Etihad Regional since January 2014, has its head office on the grounds of [[Lugano Airport]] in Agno, near Lugano.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.darwinairline.com/ita.php?un=38&ln=a&USERNAME=&PASSWORD= |title=Contatti |publisher=Darwin Airline |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100408002928/http://www.darwinairline.com/ita.php?un=38&ln=a&USERNAME=&PASSWORD= |archive-date= 8 April 2010 }}</ref>

==Tourism==
Lugano is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Switzerland. The city is home to a number of historic buildings and museums, whilst the surrounding area has many natural sights.<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://discoverlugano.lugano-tourism.ch/#Homepage | publisher = Lugano Tourism | title = Discover Lugano | access-date = 13 March 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090319010449/http://discoverlugano.lugano-tourism.ch/#Homepage | archive-date = 19 March 2009 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

Both Lake Lugano and the surrounding mountains provide a wide variety of outdoor activities. The area surrounding Lugano is home to over {{convert|300|km|mi}} of [[mountain biking]] trails, the largest net of trails in Switzerland.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.lugano-tourism.ch/en/205/default.aspx | publisher = Lugano tourism | title = Mountain Bike | access-date = 19 July 2012 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120219164345/http://www.lugano-tourism.ch/en/205/default.aspx | archive-date = 19 February 2012 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

===Heritage sites of national significance===
17 sites in Lugano are part of the Swiss [[Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance|heritage site of national significance]]. The city of Lugano, the districts of Barbengo, [[Brè]], Gandria and [[Biogno]], and the sites of [[Cantine di Gandria]] and [[Castagnola, Switzerland|Castagnola]] are all part of the [[Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/de/home/themen/kgs/kgs_inventar/a-objekte.parsys.000117.DownloadFile.tmp/ti.pdf |title=Kantonsliste A-Objekte:Ticino |year=2009 |work=KGS Inventar |publisher=Federal Office of Civil Protection |language=de |access-date=12 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706221155/http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/de/home/themen/kgs/kgs_inventar/a-objekte.parsys.000117.DownloadFile.tmp/ti.pdf |archive-date=6 July 2011  }}</ref>

The heritage sites of national significance include two libraries, the Biblioteca Cantonale and the Biblioteca Salita dei Frati as well as the Swiss National Recording Archives (Fonoteca nazionale svizzera). There were three churches; [[Cathedral of Saint Lawrence (Lugano)|Cathedral of San Lorenzo]], Church of Santa Maria degli Angioli and the Church of San Rocco.

There were four museums; the {{interlanguage link|Museo Cantonale d'Arte|de}}, {{Interlanguage link|Museum of Modern Art, Lugano|it|Musée d'Art moderne de Lugano}}, the {{interlanguage link|Museo cantonale di storia naturale di Lugano|it}} and the Villa Ciani complex with the ''Museo civico''. In 2015, the two art museums in the city merged to form [[MASI Lugano]].<ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h5pvEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT290 |title=Fodor's Essential Switzerland |date=2022-06-14 |publisher=Fodor's Travel |isbn=978-1-64097-377-0 |series=Fodor's Travel Guides |pages=290 |language=en}}</ref> The cemetery complex at via Trevano is also one of the sites, as is the [[Radiotelevisione svizzera di lingua italiana]] (RTSI) Italian-language broadcast facility. The rest of the sites are houses throughout the town. They include the Palazzo civico at piazza della Riforma, the Palazzo e cinema Corso at via Pioda, the Palazzo Riva at via Francesco Soave, the Palazzo Riva at via Massimiliano Magatti, the Palazzo Riva at via Pretorio 7 and Villa Favorita in Castagnola.

<gallery>
File:Lugano Cattedrale di San Lorenzo Interno Coro 1.jpg | Cathedral of San Lorenzo
File:Santa Maria degli Angioli.jpg | Church of Santa Maria degli Angioli
File:Lugano San Rocco.JPG | Church of San Rocco
File:Mairie de Lugano (10855973443).jpg|Palazzo Civico or City Hall
File:Antonio Ciseri - Bozzetto per l'Ecce Homo.jpg|Sketch of Ecce Homo from [[MASI Lugano]]
File:Lugano - Biblioteca cantonale.jpg|Biblioteca Cantonale
File:Villa Favorita Lugano 03.JPG|Villa Favorita in Castagnola
</gallery>

===Natural sights===
A very popular destination in Lugano is Lake Lugano. The lake is {{convert|48.7|km2|sqmi}} in size, 63% of which is in Switzerland and 37% in Italy. It has an average width of roughly {{convert|1|km|mi}} and is nearly {{convert|3|km|mi}} at its widest. The maximum depth of the lake is {{convert|279|m|ft|sp=us}}. The water is generally warm with average water temperatures in the summer ranging from {{convert|19.5|°C|°F}} to {{convert|24.0|°C|°F}}.<ref name="LtL">{{cite web|url=http://www.lugano-tourism.ch/en/96/default.aspx |publisher=Lugano Tourism |title=Living the Lake |access-date=13 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091005102812/http://www.lugano-tourism.ch/en/96/default.aspx |archive-date=5 October 2009 }}</ref>

Several companies provide tourist boat services on the lake. A popular excursion is by boat to the picturesque lakeside village of Gandria. Additionally, there are numerous shipyards, water taxis and boat rental sites along the lake, as well as hotels and restaurants that offer moorings. Bathing in the lake is allowed at any of the 50 or so bathing establishments located along the Swiss shores.<ref name="LtL"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lakelugano.ch/it/41/stato_di_salute_del_ceresio_.aspx |publisher=Società Navigazione Lago di Lugano |title=Stato di Salute del Ceresio |trans-title=Health Status of Lake Lugano |language=it |access-date=22 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228042354/http://www.lakelugano.ch/it/41/stato_di_salute_del_ceresio_.aspx |archive-date=28 December 2008 }}</ref>

In addition to the lake, Lugano is surrounded by mountains, which provide a number of opportunities for sports or sightseeing. Two mountains, both providing excellent views over the city and lake, bracket each end of the town's waterfront. [[Monte Brè]] ({{convert|933|m|ft}}), to the north, is reputedly Switzerland's sunniest spot and is also home to the old village of Brè. [[Monte San Salvatore]] ({{convert|912|m|ft}}), to the south, has an old church and museum atop its summit. Both mountains are accessible by [[funicular|funicular railways]], which are themselves easily accessible by frequent city bus or by car.<ref name="monte bre">{{cite web | url = http://www.lugano-tourism.ch/en/54/monte-bre.aspx?idActivity=156&idMod=41 | publisher = Lugano Tourism | title = Monte Bre | access-date = 19 July 2012 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120408220616/http://www.lugano-tourism.ch/en/54/monte-bre.aspx?idActivity=156&idMod=41 | archive-date = 8 April 2012 | df = dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.lugano-tourism.ch/en/54/monte-san-salvatore.aspx?idActivity=155&idMod=41 | publisher = Lugano Tourism | title = Monte San Salvatore | access-date = 19 July 2012 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120408215930/http://www.lugano-tourism.ch/en/54/monte-san-salvatore.aspx?idActivity=155&idMod=41 | archive-date = 8 April 2012 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

Slightly further afield is [[Monte Generoso]] ({{convert|1704|m|ft}}), with a view that encompasses the lakes of Lugano, [[Lake Como|Como]] and [[Lake Maggiore|Maggiore]], as well as the [[Alps]] from the [[Matterhorn]] to the [[Bernina Range]], the [[Lombardy|Lombardy Plains]], and, on a clear day, the city of Milan. The summit can be reached by taking either an SNL boat, or a railway train, to [[Capolago]], and changing there onto a [[rack railway|rack railway train]] of the [[Monte Generoso Railway]].<ref name=mgrhome>{{cite web | url = http://www.montegeneroso.ch/en/13/home.aspx | title = Monte Generoso | publisher = Monte Generoso Railway | access-date = 2 July 2012 | archive-date = 17 July 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120717151329/http://www.montegeneroso.ch/en/13/homepage.aspx | url-status = dead }}</ref>

[[File:View on Lake Lugano from Monte Bré.JPG|centre|thumb|1000px|View of Lake Lugano from Monte San Giorgio]]

===Religious buildings===
[[File:Villa Ciani Lugano.jpg|thumb|Villa Ciani]]
*[[Cathedral of Saint Lawrence (Lugano)|St. Lawrence Cathedral]] (9th and 15th century)
*{{ill|Church of Santa Maria degli Angioli (Lugano)|it|Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angeli (Lugano)|lt=St. Mary of the Angels Church}} (16th century) with the fresco of the Christ's Passion from [[Bernardino Luini]]
*{{ill|San Rocco Church (Lugano)|it|Chiesa di San Rocco (Lugano Centro)|lt=San Rocco Church}}
*[[Sant'Antonio Abate, Lugano|Sant'Antonio Abate]]

===Secular buildings===
*{{ill|Park and Villa Ciani|it|Parco Ciani}}
*{{ill|Palazzo Civico (Lugano)|it|lt=Palazzo Civico}}
*{{ill|Villa Favorita (Lugano)|it|lt=Villa Favorita}}
*{{ill|Palazzo Albertolli|it}}

===Museums===<!-- This section is linked from [[List of museums]] -->
*[[MASI Lugano]] (or ''Swiss–Italian Art Museum''), on three sites:
**[[Lugano Arte e Cultura]] (LAC), a cultural centre dedicated to visual arts, music and performing arts
**Palazzo Reali 
**Giancarlo and Danna Olgiati Collection
*[[Museo delle Culture]] (Museum of Cultures)
*Foundation [[Aligi Sassu]] and {{ill|Helenita Olivares|it}}
*Historical Museum
*{{ill|Cantonal Museum of Natural History of Lugano|it|Museo cantonale di storia naturale di Lugano}}
*[[Swiss Customs Museum]]
*Wilhelm Schmid Museum
*Hermann Hesse Museum
*[[Swiss National Sound Archives]]

==Education and research==
[[File:USI Università della Svizzera italiana Lugano.jpg|thumb|[[University of Lugano]]]]
In Lugano about 63.7% of the population (between age 25–64) have completed either non-mandatory [[Education in Switzerland#Secondary|upper secondary education]] or additional higher education (either university or a [[Fachhochschule|University of Applied Sciences]]).<ref name=:0 />

In Lugano there were a total of 7,931 students ({{as of|2009|lc=on}}). The Ticino [[Education in Switzerland|education system]] provides up to three years of non-mandatory [[kindergarten]] and in Lugano there were 1,356 children in kindergarten. The primary school program lasts for five years and includes both a standard school and a special school. In the municipality, 2,280 students attended the standard primary schools and 129 students attended the special school. In the lower secondary school system, students either attend a two-year middle school followed by a two-year pre-apprenticeship or they attend a four-year program to prepare for higher education. There were 1,932 students in the two-year middle school and 47 in their pre-apprenticeship, while 884 students were in the four-year advanced program.

The upper secondary school includes several options, but at the end of the upper secondary program, a student will be prepared to enter a trade or to continue on to a university or college. In Ticino, vocational students may either attend school while working on their internship or apprenticeship (which takes three or four years) or may attend school followed by an internship or apprenticeship (which takes one year as a full-time student or one and a half to two years as a part-time student).<ref>{{Cite report |title=KANTONALE SCHULSTRUKTUREN IN DER SCHWEIZ UND IM FÜRSTENTUM LIECHTENSTEIN / STRUCTURES SCOLAIRES CANTONALES EN SUISSE ET DANS LA PRINCIPAUTÉ DU LIECHTENSTEIN |url= http://edudoc.ch/record/35128/files/Schulsystem_alle.pdf |author= EDK/CDIP/IDES |year= 2010 |access-date= 24 June 2010 }}</ref> There were 492 vocational students who were attending school full-time and 722 who attend part-time.

The professional program lasts three years and prepares a student for a job in engineering, nursing, computer science, business, tourism and similar fields. There were 89 students in the professional program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=15&key1_testo=Formazione%20e%20scienza&key1=15&key2=02&key3=01 |title=Allievi e studenti, secondo il genere di scuola, anno scolastico 2009/2010 |language=it |trans-title=Pupils and students, by type of school, school year 2009/2010 |publisher=Repubblica e Cantone Ticino |access-date=23 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707003844/http://www.ti.ch/DFE/USTAT/DATI_RIEPILOGHI/default_x.asp?menu=15&key1_testo=Formazione%20e%20scienza&key1=15&key2=02&key3=01 |archive-date=7 July 2011  }}</ref> {{as of|2000}}, there were 3,537 students in Lugano who came from another municipality, while 887 residents attended schools outside the municipality.<ref name=commuter/>
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:ICubLugan01 Reaching.png|thumbnail|The [[iCub]] humanoid robot at [[IDSIA]]'s robotics lab in Lugano.]] -->

Lugano is home to 2 libraries. These libraries include; the Biblioteca universitaria di Lugano and the Biblioteca cantonale Lugano. There was a combined total ({{as of|2008|lc=on}}) of 448,811 books or other media in the libraries, and in the same year a total of 51,740 items were loaned out.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/16/02/02/data.html | publisher = Swiss Federal Statistical Office | title = List of libraries | language = de | access-date = 14 May 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150706231342/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/16/02/02/data.html | archive-date = 6 July 2015 | url-status = dead | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

The headquarter of the university {{Lang|it|Università della Svizzera italiana|italic=no}} in Lugano includes 5 of its 6 faculties, the Academy of Architecture being based in Mendrisio. The main building, built in 1909, was originally the hospital of Lugano and since 1996 it is home of the university.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vincenzovicari.ch/oggetti/107014-ex-ospedale-civico|title=Università della Svizzera Italiana|website=www.vincenzovicari.ch}}</ref> In the next years, several added buildings enriched the headquarter until the other side of the river, in the quarter called Viganello. In fact, the area of the older buildings on the west side of the river is called "West Campus" (or "Campus Ovest" in Italian), whereas the newest building (active since 2021) on the other side of the river is called "East Campus" (or "Campus Est" in Italian) and it houses both the university USI and the University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland SUPSI.

Some of the universities and colleges in Lugano include:
*[[Università della Svizzera Italiana]] (USI): This Swiss university, translated as "University of Italian Switzerland", which is organised in 6 faculties: the Faculty of Informatics, Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Theology and the Academy of Architecture (which is based in Mendrisio).
*[[Swiss National Supercomputing Centre]]: an autonomous unit of [[ETH Zürich]] that focuses on high-performance computing.
*[[IDSIA|Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence]] (IDSIA): a non-profit oriented research institute for artificial intelligence, affiliated with both the [[Università della Svizzera Italiana]] and [[SUPSI]].
*[[Franklin University Switzerland]]: an American and Swiss accredited liberal arts college.
*[[The American School In Switzerland]]: an international secondary school.
*[[SUPSI]]: University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland.

==Transport==
[[File:Cattedrale-di-San-Lorenzo-aerial-4.jpg|thumb|Lugano railway station (above the cathedral) with both SBB and FLP railways. The tracks of the funicular are also visible (to the right of the cathedral)]]
[[File:TPL 201, Lugano Centro.jpg|thumb|The central bus station]]
[[File:SNV San Gottardo 02.jpg|thumb|Lugano landing stage]]

===Air===
Lugano is served by [[Lugano Airport]], in the nearby municipality of [[Agno, Switzerland|Agno]]. Currently, only [[Silver Air (Czech Republic)|Silver Air]] operates to Lugano Airport. While there is limited service to Lugano's airport, [[Milan#Transport|Milan's airports]] are not that far away and provide access to a greater number of worldwide locations. [[Milan Malpensa Airport]] is connected to Lugano by a direct hourly train with a travel time of 1:45h from/to Lugano,<ref name="Times"/><ref name=TILO>{{cite web |url=http://www.tilo.ch/en/Collegamenti.html |title=TILO Connections |publisher=SBB CFF FFS and TRENORD |location=Berne |date=2019 |access-date=2019-07-15 |archive-date=14 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714230531/http://www.tilo.ch/en/Collegamenti.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> or about one hour, 80&nbsp;km by road.

===Railways===
[[Lugano railway station|Lugano's railway station]] is situated on the historically and concurrently important [[Gotthard railway line]], which links northern Switzerland with Ticino and Italy. Since the inauguration of the [[Gotthard Base Tunnel]], in 2016, and the [[Ceneri Base Tunnel]], in 2020, train connections with cities in Northern Switzerland, such as [[Zürich]], [[Luzern]] and [[Basel]], have been improved, with significantly faster services through the base tunnels.<ref name="railway-news.com">{{Cite web |date=14 December 2020 |title=Ceneri Base Tunnel Officially Open Completing the NRLA |url=https://railway-news.com/ceneri-base-tunnel-officially-open-completing-the-nrla/ |access-date=29 April 2022 |website=Railway-News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501144202/https://railway-news.com/ceneri-base-tunnel-officially-open-completing-the-nrla/ |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Long-distance trains of the [[Swiss Federal Railways]] (SBB&nbsp;CFF&nbsp;FFS), together with international trains of [[Trenitalia]], connect Lugano with the cities of northern Switzerland and with [[Italy]]. The trains operate under the [[InterCity]] and [[EuroCity]] brands. Service is provided hourly to [[Zürich]] and once every two hours to [[Basel]] and [[Milan]]. One train per day operates to each of [[Bologna]], [[Genoa]] and [[Venice]]. All the above trains operate via the Gotthard and Ceneri base tunnels. Between April and mid October, the tourist oriented [[Gotthard Panorama Express]] connects Lugano with [[Lucerne]] once a day by train and boat, travelling by train over the historic high-level Gotthard route, and then by boat along the length of [[Lake Lucerne]].<ref name=railmap>{{cite web |url=https://www.sbb.ch/content/dam/internet/sbb/all/pdf/fahrplan/gedruckte-fahrplaene/fahrplaene_2022/rv-produkte/LPL_Tessin.pdf.sbbdownload.pdf |title=LPL_Tessin |language=it |publisher=Swiss Federal Railways |access-date=29 April 2022 |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501144546/https://www.sbb.ch/content/dam/internet/sbb/all/pdf/fahrplan/gedruckte-fahrplaene/fahrplaene_2022/rv-produkte/LPL_Tessin.pdf.sbbdownload.pdf}}</ref><ref name=raildep>{{cite web |url=https://www.sbb.ch/content/dam/internet/sbb/all/pdf/fahrplan/gedruckte-fahrplaene/fahrplaene_2022/ab-an-taschenfahrplaene/LG_211212_ab_5300.pdf.sbbdownload.pdf |title=Partenza - Stazione di Lugano |language=it |trans-title=Departure - Lugano Station |publisher=Swiss Federal Railways |access-date=29 April 2022 |archive-date=1 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501152347/https://www.sbb.ch/content/dam/internet/sbb/all/pdf/fahrplan/gedruckte-fahrplaene/fahrplaene_2022/ab-an-taschenfahrplaene/LG_211212_ab_5300.pdf.sbbdownload.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/travel-in-switzerland/panoramareisen/gotthard-panorama-express.html |title=Gotthard Panorama Express |publisher=SBB CFF FFS |location=Berne |date=2019 |access-date=2019-07-15 |archive-date=2019-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714230532/https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/travel-in-switzerland/panoramareisen/gotthard-panorama-express.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Lugano is also served by several lines of regional trains of the [[Treni Regionali Ticino Lombardia]] ('''TILO''') network which operates in the canton of Ticino and the north of the Italian region of [[Lombardy]]. Line RE80 provides a half-hourly semi-fast service northbound to [[Locarno]] and southbound to [[Mendrisio]] and [[Chiasso]], with alternate southbound trains continuing to [[Milan]]. Line S10 provides a half-hourly all-stations service northbound to [[Bellinzona]] and [[Biasca]] and southbound to Mendrisio and Chiasso, with alternate southbound trains continuing to [[Como]] and occasional northbound trains continuing to [[Airolo]]. Line S50 provides an hourly service to [[Milan Malpensa Airport]], running coupled to an S10 service between Biasca and Mendrisio. All the above trains use the Ceneri Base Tunnel, but line S90 provides a half-hourly service north to [[Giubiasco]] and an hourly service south to Mendrisio serving all the stations over the old high-level Ceneri route.<ref name=railmap/><ref name=raildep/>

Additionally, the [[metre gauge]] ({{RailGauge|1000mm|first=imp|disp=1}} gauge) [[Ferrovia Lugano-Ponte Tresa|Lugano-Ponte Tresa Railway]] (FLP) provides a quarter-hourly service to [[Agno, Switzerland|Agno]], [[Lugano Airport]] and [[Ponte Tresa]]. The service operates as line S60 from its own station adjacent to the main railway station.<ref name=railmap/><ref name=raildep/>

Lugano is also served by three [[funicular railway]]s. The [[Lugano Città–Stazione funicular|Funicolare Città–Stazione]], which has recently been renewed, is a short line connecting Lugano railway station to the lower part of the city centre by the lake, whilst the [[Monte Brè funicular|Funicolare Monte Brè]] and the [[Monte San Salvatore funicular|Funicolare Monte San Salvatore]] ascend nearby hills to vantage points. A fourth funicular, the [[Lugano degli Angioli funicular|Funicolare degli Angioli]], still exists but has not operated since 1986.

===Road===
Lugano is located along the [[A2 motorway (Switzerland)|A2 motorway]], a part of the [[European route E35]] that stretches over {{convert|1600|km|mi|abbr=on}} between [[Amsterdam]] and [[Rome]]. Like the original railway, the A2 to the north crosses the Ceneri and Gotthard passes and links Lugano to northern Switzerland and, via [[Basel]], to the German motorway network. To the south it crosses the Swiss-Italian border at [[Chiasso]], linking to the Italian motorway network. The motorway runs to the west and south of the city, using extensive tunnelling to deal with the mountainous landscape.

The [[Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi]] (TPL) operate frequent inner city buses throughout Lugano and some of its closer neighbours. The [[Autolinee Regionali Luganesi]] (ARL) runs buses connecting Lugano with the districts of [[Davesco]], Sonvico and the towns of [[Canobbio]], [[Lamone]] and [[Tesserete]], whilst the [[Società Navigazione del Lago di Lugano]] (SNL) runs buses to the lakeside districts of Gandria and [[Campione d'Italia]], complementing its boat services to the same locations. TPL, ARL and SNL services operate from the ''Lugano Centro'' bus station.<ref name=citybus>{{cite web |url=https://www.lugano.ch/vivere-lugano/muoversi-lugano/trasporti-pubblici/bus.html |title=Bus |work=lugano |language=it |publisher=City of Lugano |access-date=28 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tplsa.ch/2/27/tpl-chi-siamo.html |title=Chi Siamo |language=it |trans-title=Who we are |publisher=Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi |access-date=28 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://arlsa.ch/chi-siamo/ |title=Chi Siamo |language=it |trans-title=Who we are |publisher=Società Autolinee Regionali Luganesi |access-date=28 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lakelugano.ch/media/orario-bus/SNL_Orario_BUS_2021_22.pdf |title=Orario bus 2022 |language=it |trans-title=2022 bus timetable |publisher=Società Navigazione del Lago di Lugano |access-date=28 April 2022}}</ref>

Longer distance buses, as well as some local buses, are operated by [[PostBus Switzerland]], known locally as the ''AutoPostale''. Its ''Palm Express'' service connects [[Lugano railway station]] to [[St. Moritz]]. Other ''AutoPostale'' buses operate from an underground bus station and ticket office, located at Via Balestra 4 in the centre of Lugano. [[ASF Autolinee]], an Italian bus company, operates an international bus route from Lugano to [[Menaggio]], on the shores of [[Lake Como]].<ref name=citybus/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.asfautolinee.it/orari_pdf/invernale/C12.pdf |title=Menaggio - Porlezza - Lugano |language=it |publisher=ASF Autolinee |access-date=28 April 2022}}</ref>

===Shipping===
Boats of the [[Società Navigazione del Lago di Lugano]] (SNL) provide services on [[Lake Lugano]]. Whilst these are principally provided for tourist purposes, they also connect Lugano with other lakeside communities. Several of the landing points are within the sparsely populated section of the municipality that lies on the east side of the lake and have no road access.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lakelugano.ch/en |title=Lake Lugano Navigation Company |publisher=Società Navigazione del Lago di Lugano |access-date=28 April 2022}}</ref>

==Culture==
[[File:Le LAC, la façade sud (Lugano, Suisse) (21783439458).jpg|thumb|left|[[Lugano Arte e Cultura]] (LAC)]]
Lugano hosts the [[Swiss National Sound Archives]], responsible for safeguarding the sound heritage of Switzerland.

The Palazzo dei Congressi is the performing arts centre for Lugano. It is the main venue for the [[Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana]].

The [[Lugano Festival]] runs during April and May, followed by the related "Progetto Martha Argerich" in June. Estival Jazz arrives in July. Between July and August, there is the LongLake Festival, one of the greatest urban open-air happenings in Switzerland. During one month, the LongLake offers over 300 events in downtown Lugano.

The Blues-to-Bop Festival arrives in late August and early September turns the town into a hive of activity as thousands crowd the streets and piazzas for free open-air concerts.

In 1956, the [[Teatro Kursaal]] in Lugano hosted the [[Eurovision Song Contest 1956|first Eurovision Song Contest]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/by-year/contest?event=273 | title = Eurovision Song Contest 1956 | publisher = [[European Broadcasting Union]] | access-date = 22 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Barclay|first=Simon|title=The Complete and Independent Guide to the Eurovision Song Contest 2010|publisher=Silverthorn Press|date=17 June 2010|page=24|isbn=978-1-4457-8415-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BfuBF7fOnyoC}}</ref>

The MASI (Museo d'Arte della Svizzera italiana) has two parallel objectives: the conservation and study of the Museum's permanent collection, which is above all made up of works belonging to the 19th and 20th centuries; and the planning and presentation of temporary exhibitions. It focuses on the art of the cantons of Ticino and [[Graubünden]] (Grigioni in Italian) and presents artists from the region on a regular basis.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.museo-cantonale-arte.ch/museo.php?m=1,1 | title = Museo Cantonale Arte | language = it | trans-title = Cantonal Museum of Art | access-date = 10 August 2010 | archive-date = 24 July 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100724025005/http://www.museo-cantonale-arte.ch/museo.php?m=1,1 | url-status = dead }}</ref> [[Lugano Arte e Cultura|Lugano Arte e Cultura (LAC)]] is a cultural centre dedicated to music, visual and performance arts. It opened in 2015.

The district of [[Brè-Aldesago]] offers its visitors charming corners created by its characteristic stone buildings. The cobblestone streets of the town offer art enthusiasts an artistic path that is very interesting both because of the presence of national and international "names" and the combination of art and the environment.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}

==Sports==
[[File:Cornèr Arena - Hockey Club Lugano.jpg|thumb|[[Hockey Club Lugano]] playing against [[HC Ambrì-Piotta]] at the [[Resega]]]]
[[Hockey Club Lugano]] (HCL) plays in the [[National League (ice hockey)|National League]] (NL), the top tier of Swiss hockey and is by far the town's number one team. They play at the [[Cornèr Arena]] and have won seven national titles, having participated twice in the [[IIHF European Champions Cup|European Cup]] final round and once in the top four final in the Euroleague. In 1991, Lugano reached the final of the [[Spengler Cup]] and twice reached third place in the [[IIHF Continental Cup]] Superfinal.

[[FC Lugano]] plays in the [[Swiss Super League]]. They play at the [[Stadio Cornaredo]] and won the Swiss title in 1938, 1941 and 1949 and the [[Swiss Cup]] in 1931, 1968, 1993 and 2022.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}

The Stadio Cornaredo currently sits 4,800 people. It hosted the Italy-Belgium match at the [[1954 FIFA World Cup]]. According to some sources, Lugano is the smallest city ever to hold a World Cup match.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ashdown |first=John |date=22 June 2010 |title=World Cup special: part five – Who had the most error-strewn World Cup? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/23/worst-world-cup-performance-knowledge |access-date=27 June 2019 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Around the soccer field there is a gravel lane used during athletic contests and that, outside of official match and training hours, can be used by joggers free of charge.  Next to the stadium are three small training fields. There are also two artificial grass fields: one for field hockey and one for soccer. There is also a skate park next to the stadium.

[[BC Lugano Tigers]] (former Basket Club Lugano) plays in the [[Ligue Nationale de Basketball (Switzerland)|Swiss National League A (LNA)]]. They play at the Elvetico gym, won the Swiss Cup in 2011 and have been Swiss LNA Champions in 2000, 2001, 2006 and 2010.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}

Lugano annually hosts the {{convert|20|km|0|adj=on}} [[racewalk]] [[Gran Premio Città di Lugano Memorial Albisetti]]<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.lugano-racewalking.com/index.asp?lan=eng | title = Lugano Trophy | access-date = 21 July 2012}}</ref> and the [[Ladies Open Lugano]], an International level WTA tennis tournament. The city hosted the 1953 and 1996 [[UCI Road World Championships]], as well as the [[18th Chess Olympiad]].

Lugano has traditionally been one of Switzerland's hubs in [[Water polo]]. The Società Nuoto Lugano won the [[:de:Schweizer Meister (Wasserball)|Swiss Championship]] a total of 17 times.

==People==
=== People born in Lugano ===
[[File:Domenico Reina.JPG|140px|thumb|Domenico Reina]]
[[File:Bossoli-c.jpg|140px|thumb|Carlo Bossoli]]
[[File:Sergio Mantegazza.png|140px|thumb|Sergio Mantegazza, 2018]]
[[File:Tito Tettamanti.jpg|140px|thumb|Tito Tettamanti, 2013]]
[[File:Hardy Krüger junior (Berlin Film Festival 2011).jpg|140px|thumb|Hardy Krüger junior, 2011]]
; Middle Ages
* [[Giovanni Battista Trevano]] (c.1560–1644), Italian-speaking architect who worked in Poland as a royal architect 
* [[Francesco Contin]] (1585–1654), Swiss-Italian sculptor and architect
* [[Giovanni Battista Discepoli]] (1590–1660), Swiss-Italian painter of the Baroque period 
* [[Gasparo Molo]] (15??-16??), goldsmith 
* [[Karl Konrad von Beroldingen]] (1624–1706), Lugano's chancellor and general captain <ref>{{cite web |last1=Kälin |first1=Urs |title=Beroldingen, Karl Konrad von |url=https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/it/articles/015247/2017-12-12/ |website=Dizionario storico della Svizzera |access-date=21 December 2022}}</ref>
* [[Carlo Giuseppe Plura]] (1663–1737), Swiss-Italian [[stucco]] artist and sculptor
* [[Giovanni Maria Fontana]] (c.1670–after 1712), Italian-Swiss architect, worked in Russia
* [[Giacomo Zanetti]] (c.1696–1735), Italian master builder and architect
* [[Domenico Reina]] (1796–1843), Swiss [[bel canto]] opera tenor and composer
; 19th C
* [[Carlo Bossoli]] (1815–1884), Swiss-born Italian painter and lithographer of scenes from the [[Risorgimento]]
* [[Domenico Giambonini]] (1868–1956), Swiss sport shooter, bronze medallist in the [[1920 Summer Olympics]]
; 20th C
* [[Leonardo Conti]] MD (1900–1945), Reich Health Leader in Nazi Germany
* [[Romano Amerio]] (1905–1997), Catholic theologian
* [[Niccolò Tucci]] (1908–1999), short story writer and novelist who wrote in English and Italian
* [[Hans Zellweger]] (1909–1990) Paediatrician and clinical geneticist who described Zellweger syndrome
* [[Lauro Amadò]] (1912–1971), also known as Lajo, Swiss football player, played 54 games for the Swiss national football team
* [[Mario Agliati]] (1922–2011), Swiss-Italian journalist, writer and historian
* [[Mario Comensoli]] (1922–1993), Swiss painter of the [[Realism (arts)|realist]] movement
* [[Sergio Mantegazza]] (1927–2024), Swiss-Italian businessman, chairman and owner of [[Group Voyagers|Globus]] a multinational travel company.
* [[Duilio Arigoni]] (1928–2020), Swiss chemist, worked on the biosynthetic pathways of many organic natural substances
* [[Tito Tettamanti]] (born 1930), Swiss lawyer, politician, and entrepreneur
* [[Giulia Daneo Lorimer]] (1932–2021), Italian violinist and singer 
* [[Pietro Balestra (economist)|Pietro Balestra]] (1935–2005), Swiss economist specializing in econometrics
* [[Franco Ambrosetti]] (born 1941), jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and composer<ref>{{cite web |title=Franco Ambrosetti {{!}} Composer |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0024436/ |access-date=1 December 2018 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Christian Giordano]] (born 1945), Swiss anthropologist and sociologist 
* [[Giorgio Giudici]] (born 1945), Swiss architect and politician, Mayor of Lugano 1984–2013 
* [[Romolo Nottaris]] (born 1946), Swiss rock climber, mountaineer and author of documentary films
* [[Chiara Banchini]] (born 1946), Swiss Baroque violinist<ref>{{cite web |title=Chiara Banchini {{!}} Soundtrack |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3840836/ |access-date=1 December 2018 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Loris Kessel]] (1950–2010), Swiss racing driver
* [[Georg Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza]] (born 1950), manager
* [[Luca Pianca]] (born 1958), Swiss musician-lutenist whose specialty is [[archlute]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Luca Pianca {{!}} Music Department, Actor, Soundtrack |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0681223/ |access-date=1 December 2018 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Diego Fasolis]] (born 1958), Swiss classical organist and conductor<ref>{{cite web |title=Diego Fasolis {{!}} Music Department, Actor |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7703350/ |access-date=1 December 2018 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Marco Borradori]] (1959–2021), Swiss lawyer and politician, Mayor of Lugano 2013–2021
* [[Mauro Gianetti]] (born 1964), Swiss [[directeur sportif]], former professional rider
* [[Gianluca Barilari]] (born 1964), head coach of the Swiss national basketball team
* [[Carlo Bonzanigo]] (born 1966), Italian and Swiss car designer, works for [[Pininfarina]] and for Citroen Design. 
* [[Hardy Krüger junior]] (born 1968), German actor<ref>{{cite web |title=Hardy Krüger Jr. {{!}} Actor, Writer, Podcaster |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0473204/ |access-date=1 December 2018 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Antonio Esposito (footballer, born 1972)|Antonio Esposito]] (born 1972), Swiss-Italian former footballer, 320 games
* [[NEVERCREW|Christian Rebecchi]] (born 1980), Swiss painter and sculptor of the [[NEVERCREW]] artists duo 
* [[Joël Camathias]] (born 1981), Swiss racing driver 
* [[Alberto Regazzoni]] (born 1983), footballer, with over 440 games and 3 for the national side
* [[Elly Schlein]] (born 1985), Italian politician
* [[Stefano Comini]] (born 1990), Swiss racing driver
* [[Alex Fontana]] (born 1992), Swiss racing driver

=== People who lived or died in Lugano ===
[[File:Bakunin Nadar.jpg|140px|thumb|Mikhail Bakunin]]
[[File:Hans Kundt.jpg|140px|thumb|Hans Kundt, 1915]]
; 19th C
* [[Mikhail Bakunin]] (1814–1876), Russian revolutionary anarchist and founder of collectivist anarchism
* [[Enrico Bignami]] (1844–1921), Italian merchant and editor of [[La Plebe (newspaper)|La Plebe]], a socialist newspaper
* Ferdinando Fontana (1850–1919), Italian journalist, dramatist, poet and committed, passionate socialist
* [[Hans Kundt]] (1869–1939), German military officer, the primary military figure of Bolivia
* Heinrich Thyssen (1875–1947), German-Hungarian entrepreneur and art collector
* [[Hermann Hesse]] (1877–1962), author and philosopher, won the [[Nobel Prize in Literature|Nobel Prize]] in 1946
* [[Jurgis Šaulys]] (1879–1948), Lithuanian economist, diplomat and politician; one of the twenty signatories to the 1918 Act of Independence of Lithuania
* [[Wilhelm Backhaus]] (1884–1969), German pianist and pedagogue
* [[Alfred Neumann (writer)|Alfred Neumann]] (1895–1952), German writer of novels, stories, poems, plays and films<ref>{{cite web |title=Alfred Neumann {{!}} Writer |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0627012/ |access-date=1 December 2018 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
; 20th C
* [[Rudolf Caracciola]] (1901–1959), German racing driver
* [[Gustav Fröhlich]] (1902–1987), German actor and film director<ref>{{cite web |title=Gustav Fröhlich {{!}} Actor, Director, Writer |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0297054/ |access-date=1 December 2018 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Ernst Marlier]] (1875–1948), German pharmaceutical manufacturer who built the Wannsee Villa, the venue of the [[Wannsee Conference]]
* [[Rainis]] (1865–1929), Latvian poet, playwright, translator, and politician
* [[Aspazija]] (1865–1943), Latvian poet and playwright
* [[Mariuccia Medici]] (1910–2012),  Italian-born Swiss actress on TV and in the theatre <ref>{{cite web |title=Mariuccia Medici {{!}} Actress |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4796781/ |access-date=1 December 2018 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Caterina Valente]] (1931–2024), Italian-French, multilingual singer, guitarist, dancer, and actress
* [[Mina (Italian singer)|Mina]] (born 1940) (Anna Maria Mazzini), Italian singer<ref>{{cite web |title=Mina {{!}} Music Artist, Actress, Music Department |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0590869/ |access-date=1 December 2018 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Steve Reid]] (1944–2010), American jazz drummer and session drummer for Motown
* [[Robert Palmer]] (1949–2003), English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer<ref>{{cite web |title=Robert Palmer {{!}} Actor, Composer, Music Department |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0658433/ |access-date=1 December 2018 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Behgjet Pacolli]] (born 1951), former President of Kosovo, a businessman with [[Mabetex Group]]
* [[Ivo Pogorelić]] (born 1958), Croatian pianist<ref>{{cite web |title=Ivo Pogorelich {{!}} Music Department, Soundtrack |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0688249/ |access-date=1 December 2018 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Johann Sebastian Paetsch]] (born 1964), American cellist and musician
* [[Anna Kravtchenko]] (born 1976), Ukrainian classical pianist with an international career
* [[Alberto Contador]] (born 1982), Spanish professional cyclist, winner of the Tour de France, Vuelta a España and Giro d'Italia
* [[Nicole Cooke]] MBE (born 1983), Welsh former professional road bicycle racer, Commonwealth, Olympic and World road race champion

==Twin towns==
*{{flagicon|Montenegro}} '''[[Podgorica]]''', [[Montenegro]]
*{{flagicon|Hungary}} '''[[Hegyvidék]]''', [[Hungary]]

==See also==
{{Portal|Switzerland}}
*[[Canton of Lugano]]
*[[Cities of Switzerland]]
*[[Tourism in Switzerland]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |title=Switzerland: with the Neighboring Lakes of Northern Italy, Savoy, and the Adjacent Districts of Piedmont, Lombardy and the Tyrol, Handbook for Travellers |publisher = Karl Baedeker |location = Coblenz |year=1863 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FWzgCYtW0_gC&pg=PA422 |chapter=Lugano and its Environs }}
*{{Citation |publisher = Karl Baedeker |location = Leipzig |title = Switzerland, Together with Chamonix and the Italian Lakes |chapter-url = https://archive.org/stream/switzerlandtoget00karl#page/n703/mode/2up |chapter=Lugano and its Lake |edition=26th |date = 1922 |oclc = 4248970 }}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Lugano |volume= 17 |last= Coolidge |first= William Augustus Brevoort |author-link=  William Augustus Brevoort Coolidge | page= 115 |short= 1}}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Lugano, Lake of |volume= 17 |last= Coolidge |first= William Augustus Brevoort |author-link=  William Augustus Brevoort Coolidge | page= 115 |short= 1}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Lugano}}
*{{Official website|https://www.lugano.ch/}}
*[http://www.luganoregion.com/en Lugano Tourism]
*[http://www.luganoMontebre.ch/index/en Lugano Monte Brè]
*{{Wikivoyage inline}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Navboxes|title=Articles related to Lugano|list=
{{Cities in Switzerland}}
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[[Category:Cultural property of national significance in Ticino]]
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