Bodio

Bodio is first mentioned in 1227 as Boidi. During the Middle Ages, Bodio and the now abandoned village of Simbra formed a Degagna in the Giornico area. During the reign of the cathedral of Milan over the three Ambrosian Valleys, in May and November the placita della Leventina meetings were held in Bodio. The Placita della Leventina, was a meeting of the Leventina valley used to administer justice and to discuss local issues. Until the 16th century the village belonged to the parish of Giornico. It became a separate parish in 1567, and until 1602 Pollegio was part of the parish. The church of S. Stefano was first mentioned in 1227. Along with a large part of the village, it was destroyed by a landslide in the 15th century. The current parish church dates from the 19th century, the bell tower from 1779. The floods of 1817, 1829, 1834 and 1839 caused great damage in the village and a further flood of the Ticino river in 1868 caused 18 fatalities and destroyed some homes.

The town was important for timber transport on the Ticino river. Above Bodio, the logs were allowed to float freely down the river. At Bodio they were collected and rafted. In the so-called Fosso, a collection and delivery basin, the logs were collected and tied together to limit damage to the river embankments downstream.

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