Corippo

Villages

Before the aggregation of the municipalities in the Verzasca Valley, Corippo was the smallest village in Switzerland. But it is not only this peculiarity that makse it unique and known everywhere. Clinging to a steep slope on the right-hand side of the valley, in a secluded position, the harmonious nucleus, surrounded by meadows and woods, has retained its rural characteristics of a time, becoming almost an open-air museum and attracting many visitors. Since 1975 it is protected at national level for its uniqueness and a foundation works to save its characteristics

Located about 15 km fron the entrance to the Verzasca Valley, Corippo can be reached following the carriage road built at the end of the 19th century that branches off from the main road. Due to the scarsity of parking spaces, it is recommended to reach "Bivio di Corippo” by public transport

The visit

Starting from the small village square, overlooked by the church dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, one follows the narrow lanes between rustic stone buildings with stone-slated roofs and small openings bordered with white lime, close to each other, such was the need to preserve land for agriculture and pastoralism.
The inhabitants lived off these activities, as evidenced by the numerous dry stone walls around the village, delimiting the terraces on which rye and hemp were cultivated. The Corippesi, in addition to exploiting the large but wild territory in which they lived, also practised transhumance for their survival, going to the Magadino plain in winter, especially to Quartino, where there were grazing opportunities.
Walking through the narrow streets of the village, one can admire numerous devotional wall paintings and, descending below the core, an old mill, a beautiful bridge and a chapel with a valuable Crucifixion.

The scarcity of resources forced the population to emigrate, either seasonally (this was the case of the chimney sweeps who left the village during the winter) or permanently. It was mainly overseas emigration, first to Australia, then to America later, that depopulated the village, and while in the 19th century there were still almost 300 inhabitants, today there are about ten residents.

In 2022 a charming hotel “Albergo diffuso” was opened, allowing people to stay in carefully restored rustic buildings of the village, that has become a symbol of a farming world that no longer exists.