[3] In the 8th century it was home to a Lombard garrison and supported the fortresses in Campione d'Italia, Arogno and Brusino Arsizio.

Starting in the 9th century, the monastery of S. Ambrogio in Milan owned property in Bissone.

It became fully independent in 1622, but retained a relationship with the monastery of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro in Pavia.

[3] During the Middle Ages, at the site of today's Casa Tencalla, there was a castle.

On the mountain side surrounded by fortified walls, were the entrance gates to the village.

Following the French invasion in 1798 and the end of the Old Swiss Confederacy, it became a stronghold of supporters of the Cisalpine Republic.

[3] Bissone was the birthplace of the architect Francesco Borromini and home of numerous construction and architecture dynasties such as the Maderno, Gaggini, Tencalla and Garovaglio families.

Under the Old Swiss Confederacy, Bissone, Morcote and Melide had a monopoly on selling fish in Lugano.

From the 14th to the 17th century, a number of large houses with arcades were built for the local merchants.

Later, emigration together with wine, olive and hemp cultivation became the major sources of income.

The highway was built in 1966, and separated the old village from the newer housing developments.

[4] The municipality is located in the Lugano district on the eastern end of the Melide causeway.

The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Argent two serpents erect regardant azure.

[7] The age distribution, as of 2009[update], in Bissone is; 66 children or 8.1% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 58 teenagers or 7.1% are between 10 and 19.

[8] The historical population is given in the following table:[3] The Parish Church of S. Carpoforo is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

The entire village of Bissone is listed in the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.

[14] In the 2007[update] Gran Consiglio election, there were a total of 517 registered voters in Bissone, of which 314 or 60.7% voted.

[17] Bissone is located at the eastern end of the Melide causeway, which carries the Gotthard railway, the A2 motorway and a local road across Lake Lugano, providing the only domestic land connection between the southern section of Ticino and the rest of Switzerland.

From the 2000 census[update], 546 or 76.8% were Roman Catholic, while 71 or 10.0% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.

In the lower secondary school system, students either attend a two-year middle school followed by a two-year pre-apprenticeship or they attend a four-year program to prepare for higher education.