Formazza

Formazza ( Walser German / dt. Pomatt ) is a municipality with 446 inhabitants (as at 31 December 2012) in the Italian province of Verbano -Cusio -Ossola (VB ), Region Piedmont.

Geographical Location

Formazza includes Formazza (German Pomatt ), the uppermost portion of the River Toce ( wdt. Riis ) formed valley. About the Gries Pass ( border crossing to Switzerland) provides a link to the Nufenenpass, from where you can reach Bedretto in Canton Ticino Goms in the canton of Valais or Val. Previously, the valley was an important route from the Valais a mule track over the Gries Pass in Lombardy.

The municipality comprises nine inhabited all year round Weiler: Foppiano ( wdt. Unnrum Schtaldä ) Fondovalle ( wdt. Schtafulwald ), Chiesa ( In där Mattu ), San Michele ( wdt. Tuffald ), Valdo ( wdt. Forest), Ponte ( wdt. to Schtäg ) Brendo ( wdt. Brendu ) Grovella ( wdt. Gurfälu ) and Canza ( wdt. Früduwald ).

The continuation of the Formazza to Domodossola is called Valle Antigorio.

Italian borders the following municipalities Baceno and Premia, located in the Valle Antigorio. In addition, the community is bordered by the Swiss cantons of Valais ( west) and Ticino ( East); the only German -speaking village in Ticino, Bosco / Gurin is connected to the Pomatt on the Guriner Furggu. Formazza is the northernmost municipality in Piedmont.

History and Language

In the Middle Ages the Formazza was settled by Walser, who came from the Swiss Goms and so were German. The still spoken especially by the older generation of highly Alemannic dialect ( Walser German ), the construction of the houses and many German place names still bear witness to this settlement. Twice the Pomatt was occupied by the Welsh and was a common rule of the Old Confederacy. After the battle of Marignano in 1515, the Confederates had to cede the valley at the time ruled by France Duchy of Milan.