The border between the modern states of
Switzerland and
Italy extends for , from the French-Swiss-Italian tripoint at
Mont Dolent in the west to the Austrian-Swiss-Italian tripoint near
Piz Lad
Piz Lad is a mountain of the Sesvenna Range (Alps), located on the border between Italy and Switzerland. The tripoint between Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part ...
in the east.
Much of the border runs across the
High Alps
The High Alps are the parts of the Alps unsuitable for habitation or seasonal transhumance. This includes all regions higher than 3,000 m above sea level, as well as most regions between 2,500 m and 3,000 m (Juf at 2,126 m is the highest permanent ...
, rising above as it passes east of
Dufourspitze
, it, Punta Dufour, rm, Piz da Dufour
, translation = Peak Dufour, Highest Peak, Large Horn
, photo = Monte Rosa summit.jpg
, photo_size =
, photo_caption = From the peak to the southeast towards Italy, the Dunantspi ...
, but it also descends to the lowest point in Switzerland as it passes
Lago Maggiore
Lake Maggiore (, ; it, Lago Maggiore ; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Lagh Maggior; pms, Lagh Magior; literally 'Greater Lake') or Verbano (; la, Lacus Verbanus) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest la ...
at below .
It is the longest border of both Italy and of Switzerland.
History
The border is a product of the
Napoleonic period
The Napoleonic era is a period in the history of France and Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly, the second being the Legislativ ...
, established with the provisional constitution of the
Helvetic Republic
The Helvetic Republic (, , ) was a sister republic of France that existed between 1798 and 1803, during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was created following the French invasion and the consequent dissolution of the Old Swiss Confederacy, m ...
of 15 January 1798,
restored in 1815.
While this border existed as a border of Switzerland from 1815, there was only a unified Italian state to allow the existence of a "Swiss-Italian border" with the formation of the
Kingdom of Italy in 1861, it previously comprised the borders between Switzerland and the
Kingdom of Sardinia, the
Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia and the province of
Cisleithania
Cisleithania, also ''Zisleithanien'' sl, Cislajtanija hu, Ciszlajtánia cs, Předlitavsko sk, Predlitavsko pl, Przedlitawia sh-Cyrl-Latn, Цислајтанија, Cislajtanija ro, Cisleithania uk, Цислейтанія, Tsysleitaniia it, Cislei ...
of
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1 ...
.
There remained some territorial disputes after the formation of the Kingdom of Italy, resolved in the ''Convenzione tra l'Italia e la Svizzera per l'accertamento della frontiera fra la Lombardia ed il Cantone dei Grigioni'' of 1863. Other Swiss-Italian treaties regarding the course of the border date to 1873/4, 1936/7 and 1941.
Since 1946, it has remained unchanged as the border between the Italian Republic and the Swiss Confederacy, with the exception of minor corrections and exchanges of territory, such as the inclusion of the
Lago di Lei
Lago di Lei is a reservoir in the Valle di Lei, powering the Hinterrhein storage power stations. The reservoir is almost entirely in Italy, but the barrage was built on territory ceded by Italy to Switzerland (municipality of Ferrera, Grisons) i ...
barrage in Switzerland in the 1950s. In 2008 Switzerland became part of the
Schengen Area, meaning that border controls were removed along this border as of 12 December 2008. However, while border guards from both countries are no longer allowed to stop travellers for the sole purpose of passport checks, they can still carry out customs checks, as Switzerland is not in the
EU Customs Union
The European Union Customs Union (EUCU), formally known as the Community Customs Union, is a customs union which consists of all the member states of the European Union (EU), Monaco, and the British Overseas Territory of Akrotiri and Dheke ...
.
Detailed path
The border as shown by
Swisstopo separates the Swiss canton of
Valais
Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the Sw ...
from the Italian
Aosta Valley
, Valdostan or Valdotainian it, Valdostano (man) it, Valdostana (woman)french: Valdôtain (man)french: Valdôtaine (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title = Official languages
, population_blank1 = Italian French
...
and
Piedmont region, the canton of
Ticino
Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...
from Piedmont and
Lombardy, and the canton of
Grisons from Lombardy and
South Tyrol.
Running east from Mont Dolent, the border touches
Grand Golliat
The Grand Golliat (also spelled ''Grand Golliaz'') is a mountain of the Pennine Alps, located between the Petit Col Ferret and the Great St. Bernard Pass. At 3,238 metres above sea level, its summit straddles the border between Switzerland and ...
and the
Great St Bernard Pass
it, Colle del Gran San Bernardogerman: Grosser Sankt Bernhard
, photo = Great St Bernard Pass.jpg
, photo_caption = View of the pass and hospice from Great St Bernard Lake with Mont Vélan in background
, elevation_m = 2469
, elevation_ref ...
and then visits a series of
three-thousander peaks including
Mont Velan
Mont may refer to:
Places
* Mont., an abbreviation for Montana, a U.S. state
* Mont, Belgium (disambiguation), several places in Belgium
* Mont, Hautes-Pyrénées, a commune in France
* Mont, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, a commune in France
* Mont, Sa� ...
,
Mont Brulé and
Tête Blanche before rising to at
Dent d'Herens and to at
Matterhorn, followed by
Furgghorn
The Furgghorn (German, Italian: ''Cima del Breuil'') is a mountain of the Pennine Alps, located on the boundary between the canton of Valais (Switzerland) and Aosta Valley (northern Italy). It lies on the range south-east of the Matterhorn, nea ...
,
Breithorn
The Breithorn ( German for literally "broad horn"; 13,661 ft. or 4,164 m) is a mountain range of the Pennine Alps with its highest peak of the same name (but also called ''Breithorn (Western Summit)''), located on the border between Switzerland ...
,
Zwillinge
, photo= PolluxCastor.jpg
, photo_size= 285
, photo_caption= Pollux (left) and Castor (right)
, elevation_m= 4223
, elevation_ref=
, prominence_m= 165
, prominence_ref=
, parent_peak= Dufourspitze
, map= Alps
, map_caption= Location ...
,
Monte Rosa
:
, other_name = Monte Rosa massif
, translation = Mount Rose
, photo = Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa) and Monte Rosa Glacier as seen from Gornergrat, Wallis, Switzerland, 2012 August.jpg
, photo_caption = Central Mon ...
at , and
Grenzgipfel
The Grenzgipfel (4,618 m)According to Collomb, the 'false Grenzgipfel' is 4,618 m, while the 'true Grenzgipfel' is 4,596 m. Collomb, Robin G., ''Pennine Alps Central'', London: Alpine Club, 1975, p. 172 ( German for ''Border Summit'') is a peak ...
just east of Dufourspitze at .
The border now encircles the Italian
Domodossola valley, passing
Gonda,
Monte Leone
Monte Leone is the highest mountain of the Lepontine Alps and is located on the border between Switzerland and Italy. The mountain stands on the extreme west of the Lepontine Alps, a few kilometres east of Simplon Pass.
Etymology
''Leone'' i ...
,
Bortelhorn
The Bortelhorn (also known as ''Punta del Rebbio'') is a mountain of the Lepontine Alps on the Swiss-Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or si ...
,
Helsenhorn
The Helsenhorn is a mountain of the Lepontine Alps, overlooking Binn in the Swiss canton of Valais
Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages o ...
, traversed by the
Simplon Tunnel connecting
Brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the latter part ...
with
Varzo,
Grieshorn
The Grieshorn (also known as ''Corno Gries'') is a mountain of the Lepontine Alps, located on the Swiss-Italian border. With an altitude of 2,969 metres above sea level, it is the culminating point of the group lying between the Gries Pass, the ...
just south of
Nufenen Pass, and forming the western border of Ticino runs across
Marchhorn
The Marchhorn is a mountain of the Lepontine Alps, located on the Swiss-Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian ...
,
Basodino,
Pizzo Fiorera,
Wandfluhhorn
The Wandfluhhorn (also known as ''Pizzo Biela'') is a mountain of the Lepontine Alps, located on the border between Switzerland and Italy. It overlooks Bosco/Gurin on its (Swiss) eastern side and Formazza
Formazza ( wae, Pumât, pms, Formass ...
,
Pizzo Quadro
Pizzo Quadro is a mountain of the Lepontine Alps on the Swiss-Italian border. With an elevation of 2,793 metres above sea level, it is the highest summit of the range lying south of the Wandfluhhorn and the Guriner Furggu (2,323 m). Pizzo Quad ...
,
Pizzo di Porcaresc,
Pilone
The Pilone (also known as ''Cima Pian del Bozzo'') is a mountain of the Lepontine Alps, located on the border between Switzerland and Italy. It lies between the Valle Vergeletto ( Ticino) and the Valle Onsernone (Piedmont
it, Piemontese
, ...
and descends below running across
Centovalli
Centovalli (literally: hundred valleys) is a valley and a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. It is composed of 19 villages or hamlets "frazioni". The municipality was formed on 25 October 2009 throug ...
along a stretch of the
Melezza.
It rises again to
Pilone
The Pilone (also known as ''Cima Pian del Bozzo'') is a mountain of the Lepontine Alps, located on the border between Switzerland and Italy. It lies between the Valle Vergeletto ( Ticino) and the Valle Onsernone (Piedmont
it, Piemontese
, ...
peak before descending to
Lago Maggiore
Lake Maggiore (, ; it, Lago Maggiore ; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Lagh Maggior; pms, Lagh Magior; literally 'Greater Lake') or Verbano (; la, Lacus Verbanus) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest la ...
between
Brissago
Brissago () is a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. Brissago lies on the western shore of Lake Maggiore and includes the Brissago Islands.
History
An ax and ceramic pieces from the Neolithic era as w ...
and
Cannobio
Cannobio is a town and ''comune'' on the river Cannobino and the shore of Lago Maggiore in Piedmont, Italy.
History
The local inhabitants probably became subject to Roman rule by the time of the emperor Augustus. Sarcophagi from the 2nd–3rd ...
, on the left bank making landfall at
Caviano
Caviano is a former municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.
On 25 April 2010, the former municipalities of Caviano, Contone, Gerra Gambarogno, Indemini, Magadino, Piazzogna, San Nazzaro, Sant'Abbondio a ...
and passing west of
Lugano and the villages of Malcantone to
Ponte Tresa
Ponte Tresa ( Lombard: ''Punt da Tresa'') is a former municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 18 April 2021 the municipalities of Croglio, Monteggio, Ponte Tresa and Sessa merged to form Tresa.
Histor ...
at
Lake Lugano.
It then forms the southernmost corner of Switzerland including
Chiasso
Chiasso (; lmo, Ciass ) is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.
As the southernmost of Switzerland's municipalities, Chiasso is on the border with Italy, in front of Ponte Chiasso (a frazione of C ...
, turning north again outside of
Como
Como (, ; lmo, Còmm, label=Comasco , or ; lat, Novum Comum; rm, Com; french: Côme) is a city and ''comune'' in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como.
Its proximity to Lake Como and to the Alps has m ...
and now forming the eastern border of Ticino running west of
Lake Como, of passing Lake Lugano again west of Lugano and touching
Monte Boglia,
Cima di Fojorina,
Gazzirola,
Cima di Cugn,
Pizzo Campanile
Pizzo Campanile is a mountain of the Lepontine Alps on the Swiss
Swiss may refer to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
* Swiss, West Virginia
*Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
* S ...
, again reaching at
Pizzo Quadro
Pizzo Quadro is a mountain of the Lepontine Alps on the Swiss-Italian border. With an elevation of 2,793 metres above sea level, it is the highest summit of the range lying south of the Wandfluhhorn and the Guriner Furggu (2,323 m). Pizzo Quad ...
between
Val Mesolcina and
Chiavenna
Chiavenna ( lmo, Ciavèna ; la, Clavenna; rm, Clavenna or ''Claven''; archaic german: Cläven or ''Kleven'') is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the northern Italian region of Lombardy. It is the centre of the Alpine ...
, and further north to
Pizzo Tambo
Pizzo is an Italian word with multiple meanings. It often means ''peak'' and hence is found in the name of numerous Italian mountains. It may also refer to
* Pizzo, Calabria, a seaport in Calabria, Italy
* Pizzo (mafia), imposed by a protection ra ...
,
Splügen Pass
The Splügen Pass (german: Splügenpass; it, Passo dello Spluga; rm, Pass dal Spleia ) is an Alpine mountain pass of the Lepontine Alps. It connects the Swiss, Grisonian Splügen to the north below the pass with the Italian Chiavenna to the s ...
and
Piz Timun.
The Swiss-Italia border here has the peculiarity of including the reservoir of
Lago di Lei
Lago di Lei is a reservoir in the Valle di Lei, powering the Hinterrhein storage power stations. The reservoir is almost entirely in Italy, but the barrage was built on territory ceded by Italy to Switzerland (municipality of Ferrera, Grisons) i ...
in Italy but in an artificial salient including the reservoir's dam in Switzerland.
Turning south again it traverses
Val Bregaglia at
Castasegna
Castasegna () is a former municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Grisons, on the Italian border. It is currently part of the municipality of Bregaglia. The town is situated in the Bergell valley, above the river Mera.
H ...
and turns east towards
Cima di Castello
Cima di Castello is a mountain of the Bregaglia Range, located on the border between Italy and Switzerland. With a height of above sea level, it is the second highest mountain in the Bregaglia Range. Its summit lies between the valleys of the ...
, now forming the northern border of the
Valtellina
Valtellina or the Valtelline (occasionally spelled as two words in English: Val Telline; rm, Vuclina (); lmo, Valtelina or ; german: Veltlin; it, Valtellina) is a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. Tod ...
, a territory that was lost by the
Three Leagues in 1797 with the formation of the
Cisalpine Republic
The Cisalpine Republic ( it, Repubblica Cisalpina) was a sister republic of France in Northern Italy that existed from 1797 to 1799, with a second version until 1802.
Creation
After the Battle of Lodi in May 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte organized ...
.
Val Poschiavo remains part of Grisons, and is separated from Valtellina by the border passing just north of
Tirano, turning north again along
Piz Paradisin
Piz Paradisin (also known as ''Pizzo Paradisino'') is a mountain of the Livigno Alps, located on the border between Italy and Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are ...
,
Munt Cotschen
Munt Cotschen is a mountain of the Livigno Alps, located on the border between Italy and Switzerland. It lies on the range lying between the Val Chamuera (above Chamues-ch in Graubünden) and the Livigno valley (Lombardy
(man), (woman) ...
,
Piz da l'Acqua to the inclusion of
Livigno in Italy.
The border now follows the southern watershed of
Val Müstair
Val Müstair (german: Münstertal) is a municipality in the Engiadina Bassa/Val Müstair Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It was formed on 1 January 2009 through the merger of Tschierv, Fuldera, Lü, Valchava, Santa Maria Val Müs ...
, touching
Piz Murtaröl
Piz Murtaröl (also known as ''Cima la Casina'') is a mountain of the Ortler Alps, located on the border between Italy and Switzerland. With a height of 3,180 metres above sea level, it is the highest mountain in Val Mora. On its southern side ...
,
Piz Tea Fondada,
Piz Schumbraida,
Piz Umbrail
Piz Umbrail (3,033 m) is a mountain of the Ortler Alps, south of the Umbrail Pass (2,503 m), located on the border between Lombardy ( Italy) and Graubünden (Switzerland).
The mountain surface is partly of rubble and partly covered by grass, a ...
until it reaches the pass road connecting
Vinschgau
The Vinschgau, Vintschgau () or Vinschgau Valley ( it, Val Venosta ; rm, Vnuost ; lld, Val Venuesta; medieval toponym: ''Finsgowe'') is the upper part of the Adige or Etsch river valley, in the western part of the province of South Tyrol, Italy ...
with the Valtellina and
Stilfserjoch
''Giogo dello Stèlvio''german: Stilfser Joch
, photo = The_Stelvio_pass.jpg
, photo_caption = Some of the 48 hairpin turns near the top of the eastern ramp of the Stelvio Pass
, photo_alt =
, map = Alps
, map_caption = Location of Stelvio Pass in ...
. The border now turns north for a final stretch separating Val Müstair and the
Engadin from
Vinschgau
The Vinschgau, Vintschgau () or Vinschgau Valley ( it, Val Venosta ; rm, Vnuost ; lld, Val Venuesta; medieval toponym: ''Finsgowe'') is the upper part of the Adige or Etsch river valley, in the western part of the province of South Tyrol, Italy ...
,
South Tyrol, terminating at the Austrian-Swiss-Italian tripoint just north of
Piz Lad
Piz Lad is a mountain of the Sesvenna Range (Alps), located on the border between Italy and Switzerland. The tripoint between Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part ...
.
Campione d'Italia
Campione d'Italia
Campione d'Italia (Comasco: , ) is a '' comune'' of the Province of Como in the Lombardy region of Italy and an enclave surrounded by the Swiss canton of Ticino (it is also an exclave). At its closest, the enclave is less than from the res ...
is a ''
comune'' of the
Province of Como in the
Lombardy region of
Italy and an
exclave
An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...
surrounded by the
Swiss canton of
Ticino
Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...
. At its closest, the exclave is less than from the rest of Italy, but the intervening mountainous terrain requires a journey by road of over to reach the nearest Italian town,
Lanzo d'Intelvi
Lanzo d'Intelvi was a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about north of Como, on the border with Switzerland. It has been frazione
A ''frazione'' (plural: ) is ...
, and over to reach the city of
Como
Como (, ; lmo, Còmm, label=Comasco , or ; lat, Novum Comum; rm, Com; french: Côme) is a city and ''comune'' in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como.
Its proximity to Lake Como and to the Alps has m ...
.
The entire territory of the Italian village was ''de facto'' included in the Swiss Customs Area as per a unilateral decision by the Swiss authorities. Being an exclave of Italy, it is not possible to reach the territory without crossing either Swiss territory or waters. On 1 January 2020, Campione and the Italian waters of
Lake Lugano became part of the
European Customs Union and a customs border crossing and check points were established.
Illegal immigration
In 2016, due to increased
illegal immigration from Italy into Switzerland related to the
European migrant crisis, the Swiss government cracked down on the practice, establishing more stringent controls in Swiss-bound trains and deploying helicopter and drone patrols. The government rejected calls to build a fence along the border. In April 2017, the Italian foreign ministry called the Swiss ambassador for "urgent talks" after Switzerland decided to close "three minor border crossings" at night.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swiss-Italian border
European Union external borders
Borders of Switzerland
Borders of Italy