its low altitude, temperatures are mild with a nearly Mediterranean climate, allowing palm trees to grow year round. Oaks and chestnuts grow up to an altitude of 1000 metres. Beyond 1000 metres, vegetation becomes more and more alpine and deciduous trees giving way to conifers and tundra plants. History Finds from the Copper Age prove that the valley was settled at least since then. During Roman times (late Latène and Augustan period) a sparse population was distributed in the entire Valley, probably oriented towards the Vicus Muralto. It is assumed that the valley's cultural landscape of terraces, planting of chestnuts and walnut trees may have begun during Roman times. The valley bottom was certainly populated by groups of Gauls (Maggia is a Gallic name) during the Iron Age. Roman tombs have been found in Avegno, Gordevio, Aurigeno, Moghegno, Cevio and Maggia. During the Middle Ages the Longobards reached Locarno and started dominating the valley under the feudal government of Capitanei. It is in this period that Christianism spreads and the church of San Vittore in Muralto was founded. Thereafter Maggia, Sornico and Cevio became independent parishes. Gradually, the individual neighborhoods organized in larger units. In the 14th century, Bignasco, Cavergno, Brontallo and Menzonio formed an administrative unit, as did the villages of Val Lavizzara and Val Rovana (Cevio, Cavergno, Campo, Cerentino and Bosco were the Roana Superior). In 1398, the Vallemaggia, the Verzasca Valley and Mergoscia refused to pay royalties to the Locarno nobility, who had fiefs in these regions; In 1403, the valleys formally separated from Locarno and founded an independent judicial district with a 42-member general council and own land law (statuti) centered in Cevio; various conflicts between the local valleys characterized their coexistence. In 1403/04, the dispute between the communities of the lower valley and Cevio ended with a contract. From 1411-1412, the Valley tried to evade the Duchy of Milan and joined the Savoyards. In 1416, the Confederates occupied the valley. They returned it to Milan in 1422 and finally to the Rusca family in 1439. Around 1430, the Lavizzaratal valley was legally separated from Valle Maggia. In 1513, the Helvetians occupied the valley, and for the next 300 years, from 1513-1798, Vallemaggia was one of the bailiwicks of the twelve Helvetian cantons; its German name was "Meiental" or "Mainthal". It was divided into the two valleys of Vallemaggia and Lavizzara, but only one fiscal head