Chiasso (
Italian pronunciation&_160;['kjas?o], or commonly
['kjaso]; in
Lombard Ciass [t?as]) is a
municipality in the district of
Mendrisio in the
canton of
Ticino in
Switzerland.
As the southernmost of Switzerland's municipalities, Chiasso is located at the border with Italy, in front of Ponte Chiasso (a Frazione of Como, Italy). The municipality of Chiasso includes the villages of Boffalora, Pedrinate and Seseglio.
In 2007, the three mayors of Chiasso, Vacallo and Morbio Inferiore decided to unite into one commune. The new united commune with a population of approximately 15,300 people over a territory of 9.2&_160;km², has been refused by the population in November 2007.
Historically, Chiasso and Boffalora were two distinct agricultural villages. Because of the presence of the nearby Italian border and customs office, and later as part of an access route to the St. Gotthard's Tunnel, the two villages merged and grew.
