Monte Ceneri

{{Short description|Mountain pass in Ticino, Switzerland}}

{{Other uses}}

{{Infobox mountain pass

| name = Monte Ceneri

| photo =Passo_del_Monte_Ceneri.jpg

| photo_caption = Monte Ceneri looking north

| elevation_m = 554

| elevation_ref = {{cite map | publisher = Swiss Confederation | title = map.geo.admin.ch | url = http://map.geo.admin.ch/?selectedNode=node_ch.swisstopo.swissboundaries3d-bezirk-flaeche.fill1&Y=714698&X=110123&zoom=6&bgLayer=ch.swisstopo.pixelkarte-farbe&layers=ch.swisstopo.swissboundaries3d-gemeinde-flaeche.fill,ch.swisstopo.swissboundaries3d-bezirk-flaeche.fill&layers_opacity=1,1&layers_visibility=true,true&lang=en | accessdate = 2012-11-21}}

| traversed = Road, rail

| map = Switzerland

| map_caption = Location in Switzerland

| location = Ticino, Switzerland

| range = Lugano Prealps

| coords = {{coord|46|8|21|N|8|54|24|E|type:pass_region:CH-TI|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| topo =

}}

Monte Ceneri is a mountain pass in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. It connects the Magadino Plain and the Vedeggio Valley across the Lugano Prealps at an elevation of {{convert|554|m}} above sea level. It provides the most direct route between the cities of Bellinzona and Lugano. Despite its name (monte is the Italian word for "mountain"), Monte Ceneri is the lowest point on the crest between Monte Tamaro and the Camoghè.[http://www.geogr-helv.net/1/20/1946/gh-1-20-1946.pdf Ezio Dal Vesco, Il Monte Ceneri : schizzo del suo paesaggio]

Two tunnels have been dug under Monte Ceneri, the Monte Ceneri Road Tunnel for the A2 motorway and the Monte Ceneri Rail Tunnel for the Gotthard railway. A new rail tunnel, the Ceneri Base Tunnel, was opened in 2020,{{Cite web|last=Keystone-SDA/ts|title=Ceneri Base Tunnel is officially open|url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/ceneri-base-tunnel-is-officially-open/46012372|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026162859/https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/ceneri-base-tunnel-is-officially-open/46012372|archive-date=2020-10-26|access-date=2021-03-12|website=SWI swissinfo.ch|language=en}} and connects Camorino near Bellinzona and Vezia near Lugano.{{cite web |url=http://www.alptransit.ch/en/media/press-releases/ceneri-basistunnel-in-sigirino-beginnt-der-sprengvortrieb-am-haupttunnel-287.html?cHash=6d6504846312d0188d155dfcdbc6bf86 |title=Ceneri Base Tunnel: Blast-driving the main tunnel from Sigirino begins |publisher=AlpTransit AG |date=10 March 2009 |accessdate=2011-11-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415020558/http://www.alptransit.ch/en/media/press-releases/ceneri-basistunnel-in-sigirino-beginnt-der-sprengvortrieb-am-haupttunnel-287.html?cHash=6d6504846312d0188d155dfcdbc6bf86 |archivedate=15 April 2012 }}

The pass is situated in the recently created municipality of Monteceneri and the district of Lugano. The Monte Ceneri radio transmitter is located close to the pass.

The larger part of Ticino, which lies to the north of Monte Ceneri and includes the valley of the Ticino river and the cities of Bellinzona and Locarno, is often referred to as the Sopraceneri (above the Ceneri). The smaller part to the south, which includes Lugano, Mendrisio and Chiasso, takes the name Sottoceneri (under the Ceneri).