The Verzasca Valley – 2002

June 20/2002
Villages in the Verzasca Valley

The village of Corippo at the end of the lake lies on the western side of the the valley and is only accessable by the foot bridge over the Verzasca river. Typical buildings, houses and barns, in the Tessin are built from stone. They are called ‘Rustici’ (plural) or ‘Rustico’ (singular) and the translation means stone house. They are very popular and many an old barn has been converted into a vacation home.

Ponte dei Salti at Lavertezzo

Lavertezzo, 536 m above sea level, is a quaint little village. It has the only baroque church of the valley. The stone bridge called ‘Ponte dei Salti’ (bridge of the jumps) is famous. The bridge dates from the 17th century but is generally known as the ‘roman bridge’. Here the Verzasca river has formed unique creations in the stones over time. Some of the stones look almost polished and the stratification has created fantastic patterns. The water in the pools is a deep turquoise. There are, however, warning signs in 4 languages (Italian, German, French and English) stressing the dangers of swimming in the river. As you can see with the hot weather people still gather on the rocks and dip into the refreshing waters to cool off.

 

Lavertezzo Warning sign on the river

The sign says in English:

• This river’s beauty hides its danger.
• The wet rocks are very slippery.
• Slipping could cause you to get stuck between the rocks or you fall into the water and drown.
• The water, which has its source in the nearby mountains, is cold. The risk of hypothermia or vascular congestion is very high.
• The currents are invisible and unpredictable. Assess the danger of your surroundings and the amount of flowing water. If the current grabs you, you cannot escape the strength of the suction.
• Supervise your children, one second can turn a lovely outing into a catastrophe.
• In case of an accident call SOS-Number 117 immediately. The telephone in the orange posts will connect you directly to the rescue station.

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