Because occupies an privileged geographic location in the Alps, with acces to the Po valley southward, to the high alpine passes of Nufenen, St. Gotthard, Lukmanier and San Bernardino northward, and to the San Jorio Pass to the eastward, Bellinzona was always coveted by the powers of the day. Ruled succesively by the Romans, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Longobards, and Franks, it became eventually part of the Holy Roman Empire, that has long disputed it with the Pope. For a while, it was divided between the Ruscas family (pro-Imperial) and the House of Visconti (pro-papacy), and in 1500 joined the Swiss Confederation, as a condominium under the joint administration of Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden.
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