a thriving town of Switzerland, canton of Tessin, on the northern shore of Lugano Lake, 16 miles S. by W. of Bellinzona. It is beautifully situate on the margin of the lake, and is surrounded by a most luxurious country, but the town itself is not well built, and the streets are dirty. The chief public buildings are—a college, a small theatre, an hospital, founded in the twelfth century, and several schools and churches. Of the latter, the principal are those of San Lorenzo, situate on an eminence, and Santa Maria degli Angioli, founded in 1499, and containing some excellent paintings. Silk grown in the canton is manufactured here extensively, besides tobacco, paper, leather, and copper; and a brisk transport trade is carried on with Italy by means of the lake. Lugano is also the seat of a considerable printing and publishing trade. Pop. 4500.

Lugano, Lake of (Lacus Ceresius), a long, narrow sheet of water, lying between Lakes Como and Maggiore, and situate mostly within the Swiss canton of Tessin. It is of a very irregular form, the N.E. portion of it projecting into Lombardy, while from its other extremity a long narrow arm extends northward, forming the boundary between Switzerland and Lombardy. The length of the lake from N.E. to S.W. is about 16 miles, and its average breadth does not exceed 2 miles. It receives numerous tributaries, and discharges its surplus waters by means of the Tresa into Lake Maggiore. The scenery is very striking, the lake being almost surrounded by lofty mountains, overhanging woods, and bold, abrupt precipices. In some parts, however, its banks slope gently to the water's edge, and are covered with villages, gardens, vineyards, &c. Abundance of excellent fish is caught here.