Varese ( , , or ; lmo, label= Varesino, Varés ; la, Baretium; archaic german: Väris) is a city and ''

comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...

'' in north-western

Lombardy Lombardy ( it, Lombardia, Lombard language, Lombard: ''Lombardia'' or ''Lumbardia' '') is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in the northern-central part of the country and has a population of about 10 ...

, northern

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, north-west of

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

. The population of Varese in 2018 has reached 80,559. It is the capital of the

Province of Varese The province of Varese ( it, provincia di Varese) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. Its capital is the city of Varese (population of 80,857 inhabitants), but its largest city is Busto Arsizio. The head ...

. The hinterland or exurban part of the city is called ''Varesotto''.

Geography

The city of Varese lies at the foot of

Sacro Monte di Varese The Sacro Monte di Varese (literally ‘Sacred Mount of Varese’) is one of the nine sacri monti in the Italian regions of Lombardy and Piedmont which were inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 2003. It has an altitude of 807 m ...

, part of the Campo dei Fiori mountain range, that hosts an astronomical

observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. His ...

, as well as the Prealpino Geophysical Centre. The village which is in the middle of the mountain is called Santa Maria del Monte because of the medieval sanctuary, which is reached through the avenue of the chapels of the Sacred Mountain. Varese is situated on seven hills: the San Pedrino Hill, the Giubiano Hill, the Campigli Hill, the Sant'Albino Hill, the Biumo Superiore Hill, Colle di Montalbano (Villa Mirabello) and the Hill of Miogni. The city also looks over

Lake Varese Varese Lake ( it, Lago di Varese) is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, in the north of Italy. It has an area of 14.5 km², a medium depth of 11 m, and a maximum depth of 23 m. It hosted the Canoeing European Championships in 2012, the Wo ...

Climate

Varese's winters are not significantly affected by the proximity of ''

Lago Maggiore Lake Maggiore (, ; it, Lago Maggiore ; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Lagh Maggior; pms, Lagh Magior; literally 'Greater Lake') or Verbano (; la, Lacus Verbanus) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest la ...

'' and the minor lakes surrounding it. In late autumn and winter, temperatures frequently fall below zero Celsius, even if just by a few degrees. This differentiates it from areas south of the city. As in other cities in the foothills of Lombardy, fog is an infrequent phenomenon. Varese is on average cooler than other cities of the Lombard Prealps, especially in winter. Varese is one of the rainiest cities in Italy, with an annual precipitation average of more than . Since the 1980s, snow has fallen less frequently, with the annual average going from 69 cm in 1967–1987 to 33 cm in 1988–2017.

Demographics

Varese city, like the province, has a very high immigrant population owing to both its economy (many multinational companies and the EU's

Joint Research Centre The Joint Research Centre (JRC) is the European Commission's science and knowledge service which employs scientists to carry out research in order to provide independent scientific advice and support to European Union (EU) policy. The JRC is ...

in nearby

Ispra Ispra is a ''comune'' and small town on the eastern coast of Lake Maggiore, in the province of Varese (Lombardy, northern Italy). Toponymy Attested by the name ''Ispira'' (712), ''Ispira'' (XIV). Appears as ''Ispratium'' in Aegidius Tschudi's '' ...

) and its location (proximity to Milan makes it an ideal place for the latter city's workers).

Government

History

This town has been known since the Early Middle Ages when it became officially a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

. The population by 1848 was about 4000. In 1859,

Giuseppe Garibaldi Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he is known as ''Gioxeppe Gaibado''. In his particular Niçard dialect of Ligurian, he was known as ''Jousé'' or ''Josep''. 4 July 1807 – 2 June 1882) was an Italian general, patr ...

confronted

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

n forces led by Field Marshal-Lieutenant Carl Baron Urban near Varese. Also, it was here where Alessandro Marchetti's

Savoia-Marchetti SM.93 The Savoia-Marchetti SM.93 was an Italian dive bomber designed and produced in Italy from 1943. Design The SM-93 was an all-wood single-engined low-wing monoplane with retractable undercarriage. The fuselage had a monocoque structure, with a si ...

made his first test flights. In the 20th Century, thanks to the increase in population and to the improvement of its economy, the dimensions of this urban centre rose. During the 20th Century, its economy flourished quickly, mainly in manufacturing, in the mechanical and electromechanical industry and

textile industry The textile industry is primarily concerned with the design, production and distribution of yarn, cloth and clothing. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry. Industry process Cotton manufacturi ...

. Varese was well known for the footwear industry. Symbols The coat of arms of the City of Varese dates back to around 1347. On the wooden cover of the double copy of the Burgi et Castellatiae de Varisio Statutes, preserved in the municipal archive, the oldest example of a civic coat of arms is depicted: "silver Samnite shield. with two corners of red, right and left on the head; all around closed by a black band". The effigy of San Vittore has no crown. It is probably in the sixteenth century - as the Varese historian Luigi Borri believes in his work Documenti Varesini of 1891 - that the shield was surmounted by the marquis crown and the effigy of St. Victor, patron saint of the city. The coat of arms was recognized by decree of the head of the government of 17 June 1941 and the banner was granted with the royal decree of 28 April 1941.

Transport

The road and rail infrastructure network that makes up the connection system of the city of Varese is powered by a lot of little streets and a double rail network and by 74,000 of high mobility. In particular, the major movements are incoming into Varese. In the average weekday over 113,000 vehicles enter Varese. The most used form of transportation in Varese is the private vehicle, followed by the local public transport. The A8 motorway connects Varese with Milan. The city has also a Ring Road System: Varese's Ring Road consists of three roads currently in operation and one more under construction (North Ring Road). The currently operating roads of Varese's Ring Road System are the East Ring Road, a double lane road managed by

ANAS ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus wa ...

; South Ring Road, a double lane highway managed by Autostrada Pedemontana Lombarda; North East Ring Road, a single lane road managed by ANAS. Many important national and provincial roads pass through Varese. The entire rail network serving the capital is electrified. The city is served by three railway stations: - Varese FS, managed by Centostazioni and RFI SpA,

Ferrovie Dello Stato Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane S.p.A. ( "Italian Railways of the State"; previously only Ferrovie dello Stato, hence the abbreviation FS) is Italy's national state-owned railway holding company that manages transport, infrastructure, real estat ...

Group: it is the first/last station of Suburban Line S5 of Milan Varese-Treviglio via Milan (operated by ATM-

Trenord Trenord is a railway company which is responsible for the operation of regional passenger trains in Lombardy. The company was established by the two main railway companies in Lombardy, Trenitalia and Ferrovie Nord Milano (FNM), to manage train oper ...

) and runs a high-frequency train to

and

Porto Ceresio Porto Ceresio ( Varesino: ''Pòrt Cerési'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) on Lake Lugano in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northwest of Milan and about northeast of Varese, on the border with Switzerlan ...

, toward Switzerland (operated by

). In addition, Varese FS provides direct trains to

Malpensa Airport Milan Malpensa Airport is the largest international airport in northern Italy, serving Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria, as well as the Swiss Canton of Ticino. The airport is northwest of Milan, next to the Ticino river dividing Lombardy and Pie ...

, Como,

Mendrisio Mendrisio (; lmo, label= Ticinese, Mendris ) is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. Mendrisio is the seat of the Accademia di Architettura of the university of Italian-speaking Switzerland (U ...

and

Lugano Lugano (, , ; lmo, label=Ticinese dialect, Ticinese, Lugan ) is a city and municipality in Switzerland, part of the Lugano District in the canton of Ticino. It is the largest city of both Ticino and the Italian-speaking southern Switzerland. Luga ...

(Switzerland). - Varese Nord (in the city centre) and Varese Casbeno (in the neighbourhood of Casbeno), managed by FerrovieNord on Milan Cadorna-

Saronno Saronno (; lmo, Saronn ) is a ''comune'' of Lombardy, Italy, in the province of Varese. It received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree in 1960. With an estimated population of 39,351 inhabitants, it is the most densely populated ...

-Varese-Laveno line: train service is operated by

. The city has both an extensive city bus network (12 lines + 3 lines in the urban area) operated by Autolinee Varesine, and suburban bus services. International bus services are operated by Swiss Post Bus of line 523 that link Varese to

and

. In Varese there is also a funicular service on the Vellone-Sacro Monte funicular.

Main sights

The city is home to the

('the Sacred Mount of Varese'), a place of

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

and worship. It is one of the

Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy The (plural of , Italian for "Sacred Mountain") of Piedmont and Lombardy are a series of nine calvaries or groups of chapels and other architectural features created in northern Italy during the late sixteenth century and the seventeenth century ...

, included on the

UNESCO World Heritage A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

list .

Civic buildings

Varese is rich in castles, many once pertaining to the Borromeo family. The historic centre of the city includes the Praetorian Palace and Villa Cagna, a residential complex that also hosts the Civic Music School of Varese. After the 19th century, it was enriched by villas and their surrounding gardens, many now open to visitors, including: *

Villa Recalcati Villa Recalcati is a Baroque palace in Varese, in the neighborhood Casbeno, in Italy. It is the headquarter of the Province of Varese and one of the two locations of the Prefecture of Varese. Villa Recalcati was built in the first half of the ...

Casbeno Casbeno ( Lombard: ''Casben'') is a neighborhood of the city of Varese. Located in the south of the city, overlooking Lake Varese, before the formation of the province of Varese, in the twenties, was the lower limit of the town itself. Initially ...

was built in the early 18th century, enlarged during 1756–77, and was once a luxury hotel. It now houses the offices of the Province of Varese and the Prefecture. * Villa Mylius, near the town centre, was once owned by the Jesuit order, and in 1773 the house and park were sold to the notable Francesco Torelli, who transformed a modest building into a large villa, then sold in 1902 to the industrialist George Mylius. After his death, the property was divided among several heirs, who in 1946 jointly sold it to the ''Varesino'' Achille Cattaneo, and he donated to the town of Varese in 2007. * Villa Toeplitz, in the Sant'Ambrogio district stands, with a large public park. The complex is named after Giuseppe Toeplitz (1866–1938), a Polish-born banker who bought it in 1914. Already modest country residence of the German family Hannesen, was enlarged by Toeplitz after World War II when his wife Hedwig Mrozowska and his son Louis sold it to brothers Mocchetti of Legnano. The complex with the elegant Italian park passed to the Municipality of Varese in 1972. * Ville Ponti was built between 1850 and 1870 by Milanese architect

Giuseppe Balzaretto Giuseppe Balzaretto or Balzaretti (19 January 1801 - 30 April 1874) was an Italian landscape architect and architect. Career Balzaretto studied mathematics at the University of Pavia, but became interested in villa architectures and gardens. ...

(1801–1874) for Andrea Ponti. In 1976, it was converted into a convention centre. The main building, surrounded by a public park, is decorated internally by

Giuseppe Bertini Giuseppe Bertini (1825–1898) was an Italian painter, active in his native Milan. Biography He studied at the Brera Academy under Luigi Sabatelli and Giuseppe Bisi, and in 1845 was awarded the ''Gran premio di pittura dell'Accademia di Brera ...

(1825–1898). Part of the complex, ''Villa Fabio Ponti'' is a neoclassical-style villa housed in 1959 headquarters for Garibaldi. * ''Villa Menafoglio Litta Panza'' in locations Biumo Superiore, opposite the entrance of Ville Ponti, was commissioned in the mid-18th century by the Marquis Paolo Antonio Menafoglio, and is an example of a vacation home in Varese. The villa with the garden was partly transformed during the Napoleonic period (neoclassical hall) when the garden was converted into an English-style garden. Recognized since 1996 as well protected by the FAI, the building currently hosts the contemporary art collection of the family Panza. * Villa Augusta, in the Giubiano neighbourhood, was built in the second half of the 19th century. Already owned by Testoni, passed to the Hospital of Circolo di Varese and then, 30 September 1952, was ceded to the Roman Catholic order of the Sisters of Helpers of Holy Souls who pray for souls in Purgatory. Since 1968, the villa was purchased by the city and houses municipal offices. The park is open to the public from 5 April 1970. * Villa Baragiola, in Masnago, has a well-visited park. On the north side, in the shadow of Mount Campo dei Fiori, in 1895 the lawyer Andrea Baragiola opened one of the first Italian racecourses, which extended to the area now occupied by the stadium "Franco Ossola" and its ample parking. The villa was renovated in the early thirties, and in the next decade refurbished as a religious seminary. Passed to the Municipality of Varese in 2001, today is a part of its offices, while the park is open to the public. * Masnago Castle. In the city centre, there is the Palazzo Estense with its gardens (built in the 17th century) and Villa Mirabello. Villa Mirabello, the seat of ''Museo Civico Archeologico'' (Civic Archaeological Museum), was built in the late 600s on the top of the hill which carries its name. This site is surrounded by a park which is set close to the park of Palazzo Estense. File:Vialla Panza2 BMK.jpg File:Villa Toeplitz.JPG File:VillaAndreaPontiVarese.jpg

Natural areas

In addition to numerous public parks of the city, often appurtenances of historic villas, there is the Park Luigi Zanzi in Schiranna, established in the sixties through a partial filling of the coast of

. It is a large botanical garden located on the banks of Lake Varese, rich in numerous species of trees and birdlife that is partially sheltered in the reeds along the banks. Bathing beach in the summer, the park also offers the possibility of peaceful walks and cycling on the bike path. Close to the city of Varese is the Regional Park Campo dei Fiori, a natural reserve of over five thousand acres consisting of the massive mountain Campo dei Fiori and Mount Martica, separate from that valley Rasa which is the junction of Valcuvia and Olona valley. Once the peak of the Campo dei Fiori was characterized by extensive grassland, it became the historical destination of tourism of Varese and of Milan. Today is the spectacular blooms - which gave the name to the area - to be one of its main attractions. It is a very diverse place showing aspects of extreme interest, related both to the natural environment, both in history and culture, referring to a past full of events and traditions. There are small farming villages, monuments of rare beauty, cave systems and articulated a well-maintained network of trails: some passable, as well as on foot, on horseback and on bicycle. Inside the park are established six nature reserves enclosing environments most important and characteristic.

Economy

The economy of Varese is mainly based on industry and, to a lesser extent, specialized agriculture; some famous Varese-based firms are: *

Aermacchi Aermacchi was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Formerly known as Aeronautica Macchi, the company was founded in 1912 by Giulio Macchi at Varese in north-western Lombardy as Nieuport-Macchi, to build Nieuport monoplanes under licence for the It ...

(military trainer aircraft) *

AgustaWestland AgustaWestland was an Anglo-Italian helicopter design and manufacturing company, which was a wholly owned subsidiary of Finmeccanica (now known as Leonardo). It was formed in July 2000 as an Anglo-Italian multinational company, when Finmeccanica ...

(helicopters) *

Bticino BTicino S.p.A. () is an Italian metalworking company that operates in the field of electrical low voltage equipment used for residential, employment and production. Bticino proposes solutions for the energy distribution, for the communication (i ...

(electrics) *

Cagiva Cagiva is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. It was founded in 1950 by Giovanni Castiglioni in Varese, originally producing small metal components. Giovanni's sons, Claudio and Gianfranco Castiglioni, went into the motorcycle industry in 1978. ...

MV Agusta MV Agusta (, full name: MV AGUSTA Motor S.p.A., original name: Meccanica Verghera Agusta or MV) is a motorcycle manufacturer founded by Count Domenico Agusta on 19 January 1945 as one of the branches of the Agusta aircraft company near Milan in ...

(motorbikes) * Cobra Automotive Technologies (automotive)
Ficep
(Machine Tools for steel construction) * Ignis (now part of

Whirlpool A whirlpool is a body of rotating water produced by opposing currents or a current running into an obstacle. Small whirlpools form when a bath or a sink is draining. More powerful ones formed in seas or oceans may be called maelstroms ( ). ''Vo ...

) (electronics) *

Vibram Vibram S.p.A. is an Italian company based in Albizzate, Italy, that both manufactures and licenses the production of Vibram-branded rubber outsoles for footwear. The company is named after its founder, Vitale Bramani, who is credited with invent ...

* Prealpi (cheese) * Mazzuchelli (plastics) *

Missoni Missoni is an Italian luxury fashion house based in Varese, and known for its colorful knitwear designs. The company was founded by Ottavio ("Tai") and Rosita Missoni in 1953. History Early beginnings The business was founded in 1953, when O ...

(fashion) * Di Varese (shoes) and many more as it is one of the most industrialised areas in Northern Italy. Varese is close to

Malpensa International Airport Milan Malpensa Airport is the largest international airport in northern Italy, serving Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria, as well as the Swiss Canton of Ticino. The airport is northwest of Milan, next to the Ticino river dividing Lombardy and Pie ...

, which serves the international traffic of

Milan, Italy Milan ( , , Lombard language, Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the List of cities in Italy, second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 ...

Education

Varese is home to a

European School A European School ( la, Schola Europaea) is a type of international school emphasising a multilingual and multicultural pedagogical approach to the teaching of nursery, primary and secondary students, leading to the European Baccalaureate as th ...

, the

European School, Varese The European School, Varese is one of thirteen European Schools, and the only one to be established in Italy. Founded in 1960 in the city of Varese, in the North-Italian region of Lombardy, its primary purpose is to provide an education to the c ...

, which was established in 1960 for the children of

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

staff, who work mainly at one of the three institutes of the

in nearby

. It is one of the two sites of the

University of Insubria The University of Insubria ( it, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria) is an Italian university located in Como and Varese, with secondary locations in Busto Arsizio and Saronno. It was founded in 1998, it has been named after the area where it i ...

, located in the heart of the Garden City is hosting in the newly built

Campus Bizzozero The University of Insubria ( it, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria) is an Italian university located in Como and Varese, with secondary locations in Busto Arsizio and Saronno. It was founded in 1998, it has been named after the area where it i ...

faculties of Medicine, Economics, Natural Sciences etc.

People

* Ferruccio Azzarini (1924–2005), footballer *

Flaminio Bertoni Flaminio Bertoni ( Masnago, Italy, 10 January 1903 – Paris, France, 7 February 1964) was an Italian automobile designer from the years preceding World War II until his death in 1964. Before his work in industrial design, Bertoni was a sculptor. W ...

(1903–1964), a sculptor and industrial designer known especially for his work at

Citroën Citroën () is a French automobile brand. The "Automobiles Citroën" manufacturing company was founded in March 1919 by André Citroën. Citroën is owned by Stellantis since 2021 and previously was part of the PSA Group after Peugeot acquired ...

where he designed the 2CV, the H van, the DS and the Ami 6 * Giulio Bizzozero (1846–1901), one of the pioneers of histography, and, more generally, the use of the microscope in medical research * Laura Bono (born 1979), singer and songwriter *

Umberto Bossi Umberto Bossi (born 19 September 1941) is an Italian politician and former leader of Lega Nord (Northern League), a party seeking autonomy or independence for Northern Italy or Padania. He is married to the Sicilian Manuela Marrone, and has fou ...

(born 1941), politician; leader of the Lega Lombarda, and of the

Lega Nord Lega Nord (; acronym: LN), whose complete name is (), is a right-wing, federalist, populist and conservative political party in Italy. In the run-up of the 2018 general election, the party was rebranded as (), without changing its official n ...

; Minister for Institutional Reforms and Devolution and Minister of Federal Reforms *

Lilli Carati Lilli Carati (23 September 1956 – 21 October 2014) was an Italian actress. Biography Lilli Carati was born in Varese (Lombardy). In 1974, she was named "Miss Elegance" at a beauty contest in Calabria and began working as a fashion model in M ...

(1956–2014), model and pornographic actress * Emilio Dandolo (1830–1859), brother of Enrico, who also participated in several of the most important battles of the Risorgimento, including the

Five Days of Milan The Five Days of Milan ( ) was an insurrection and a major event in the Revolutionary Year of 1848 that started the First Italian War of Independence. On 18 March, a rebellion arose in the city of Milan, and in five days of street fighting ...

uprising *

Enrico Dandolo Enrico Dandolo ( anglicised as Henry Dandolo and Latinized as Henricus Dandulus; c. 1107 – May/June 1205) was the Doge of Venice from 1192 until his death. He is remembered for his avowed piety, longevity, and shrewdness, and is known for his ...

(1827–1849), a figure of the Italian

Risorgimento The unification of Italy ( it, Unità d'Italia ), also known as the ''Risorgimento'' (, ; ), was the 19th-century political and social movement that resulted in the consolidation of different states of the Italian Peninsula into a single ...

who participated in several of its most important battles and participated in the formation of the

Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Kin ...

Attilio Fontana Attilio Fontana (born 28 March 1952) is an Italian politician from Varese, Lombardy. He has served as President of Lombardy since 2018 leading a centre-right coalition. Biography Early political career A long-time member of Lega Lombarda and Leg ...

(born 1952), politician, president of

since 2018 *

Angelo Frattini Angelo Frattini (10 November 1910 – 2 September 1975) was an Italian sculptor from Varese. He studied at Brera Academy and his first contacts with sculptural art were influenced by Scapigliatura's teachings. He also exhibited his works in ...

(1910–75), sculptor *

Gennaro Gattuso Gennaro Ivan Gattuso (; born 9 January 1978) is an Italian professional football coach and former player, who currently serves as manager of La Liga club Valencia. He was born in Corigliano (Calabria). As a player, he mainly played in the cent ...

(born 1978), professional football player * Roberto Gervasini (born 1947), athletic champion runner * Laura Macchi (born 1979), basketball player whose career began at

Pallacanestro Varese Pallacanestro Varese, also called by its current sponsor's name, the Openjobmetis Varese, is an Italian professional basketball club based in Varese, Lombardy. Founded in 1945, the team plays in the Italian basketball league system, Italian first ...

* Pietro Antonio Magatti (1691–1767), a painter active in

in a late-

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

(''barocchetto'') style *

Roberto Maroni Roberto Ernesto Maroni (; 15 March 1955 – 22 November 2022) was an Italian politician from Varese and a past President of Lombardy. He was the leader of the Northern League, a party seeking autonomy or independence for Northern Italy or Padan ...

(born 1955), Italian politician of

* Calogero Marrone (1889–1945),

Righteous Among the Nations Righteous Among the Nations ( he, חֲסִידֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, ; "righteous (plural) of the world's nations") is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to sav ...

* Stefano Marzano (born 1950), industrial designer, Chief Design Officer of

Electrolux Electrolux AB () is a Swedish multinational home appliance manufacturer, headquartered in Stockholm. It is consistently ranked the world's second largest appliance maker by units sold, after Whirlpool. Electrolux products sell under a variety ...

* Andrea Meneghin (born 1974),

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player and coach with

Dino Meneghin Dino Meneghin (, ; born 18 January 1950) is an Italian former professional basketball player. He is widely considered to be the best Italian player ever, as well as one of Europe's all-time greats. A 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) tall center, Meneghi ...

(born 1950), professional basketball player for

Ignis Varese Pallacanestro Varese, also called by its current sponsor's name, the Openjobmetis Varese, is an Italian professional basketball club based in Varese, Lombardy. Founded in 1945, the team plays in the Italian first division LBA. For past club sp ...

Ottavio Missoni Ottavio "Tai" Missoni (11 February 1921 – 9 May 2013) was the founder of the Italian fashion label Missoni and an Olympic hurdler who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics. Along with his wife Rosita, he was part of the group of designers who l ...

, designer and founder of the Italian fashion house

which is also based in Varese *

Mario Monti Mario Monti, (born 19 March 1943) is an Italian economist and academic who served as the Prime Minister of Italy from 2011 to 2013, leading a technocratic government in the wake of the Italian debt crisis. Monti served as a European Commiss ...

(born 1943), economist and politician *

Emilio Morosini Emilio Morosini (1830 – 1 July 1849) was an Italian patriot who participated in the Risorgimento. Morosini was born in Varese. Educated in Fava and studying at the Gymnasium in Brera and the liceo at Porta Nuova, he became friends with Enri ...

(1830–1849), participant in the Risorgimento *

Bob Morse Robert Duncan Morse (born January 4, 1951) is an American former professional basketball player. He was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1991. In 2008, Morse was chosen as one of the 50 most influential personalities in European club ba ...

, in 2009, in recognition of his contributions on and off the

court, the City Council of

Varese, Italy Varese ( , , or ; lmo, label= Varesino, Varés ; la, Baretium; archaic german: Väris) is a city and ''comune'' in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, north-west of Milan. The population of Varese in 2018 has reached 80,559. It is the c ...

, made Robert Duncan "Bob" Morse an honorary citizen of the city *

Attilio Nicora Attilio Nicora (16 March 1937 – 22 April 2017) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who held senior positions in the administration of the Roman Curia as president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See from 2002 ...

(born 1937), cardinal of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

and Emeritus

Bishop of Verona 235px, The facade of ''Palazzo del Vescovado'' The Diocese of Verona ( la, Dioecesis Veronensis) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in northern Italy. The diocese belongs to the Ecclesiastical Province of Venice. The bishop of Verona ...

Aldo Ossola Aldo Ossola (born 13 March 1945) is an Italian former basketball player. At a height of 1.92 m (6'3 "), he was a point guard with a great ability to set the offensive rhythm and game tempo for his team. He is a member of the Italian Basketball Ha ...

(born 1945), a basketball player *

Franco Ossola Franco Ossola (23 August 1921 – 4 May 1949) was an Italian footballer who played as a forward. With 85 goals, Ossola is the ninth highest scorer in the history of Torino behind Adolfo Baloncieri (100). He died on 4 May 1949 in the Superga ai ...

(1921–1949), a member of the

Torino F.C. Torino Football Club (), commonly referred to as Torino or simply Toro, is an Italian professional football club based in Turin, Piedmont. They currently play in Serie A. Founded as ''Foot-Ball Club Torino'' in 1906, Torino are among the mos ...

squad who died in the

Superga air disaster The Superga air disaster occurred on 4 May 1949, when a Fiat G.212 of Avio Linee Italiane (Italian Airlines), carrying the entire Torino football team (popularly known as the ''Grande Torino''), crashed into the retaining wall at the back of th ...

; Stadio Franco Ossola, the stadium of

A.S. Varese 1910 Società Sportiva Dilettantistica Varese Calcio, commonly referred to as Varese, was an Italian football club based in Varese, Lombardy. It was founded as Varese Football Club on 22 March 1910. It became Associazione Sportiva Varesina in 1923, ...

, is named in his honour *

Roberto Plano Roberto Plano (born 1 August 1978 in Varese) is an Italian pianist, winner of the Cleveland International Piano Competition (2001) and laureate at numerous international competitions such as the Sendai International Music Competition, the Honens ...

(born 1978), pianist *

Renato Pozzetto Renato Pozzetto (born 14 July 1940) is an Italian actor, director, comedian, and singer. Biography Pozzetto was born into a working-class family from Milan and grew up in the town of Gemonio (in the Province of Varese). After graduation, he made ...

(born 1940), actor, director and cabaret artist and one of the best-loved figures of Italian comedy in recent years *

Flavio Premoli Flavio Premoli (born 1949 in Varese) is an Italian musician and composer, one of the four founding members of the Italian progressive rock band Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM). Premoli is currently endorsed by Yamaha Yamaha may refer to: * Yamaha ...

(born 1949), musician and composer * Lia Quartapelle (born 1982), politician *

Alessio Rovera Alessio Rovera (born 22 June 1995) is an Italian Auto racing, racing driver. Career Early career After starting out in Italian junior racing formulas, Rovera entered the Formula Renault Eurocup in 2014 and competed there for Cram Motorsport. W ...

(born 1995), racing driver *

Corsi Sandro Corsi Sandro from the CESI SpA, Castellanza, Varese, Italy was named Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is a 501(c)(3) professional association for el ...

, 2013 Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers *

Francesco Tamagno Francesco Tamagno (28 December 1850 – 31 August 1905) was an Italian operatic tenor who sang with enormous success throughout Europe and America.Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), ''The Oxford Dictionary of Opera'', 782 pages, On 5 February ...

(1850–1905), an operatic tenor and the creator of the role of

Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...

's Otello, who lived at Varese and died at his villa there, aged 54 *

Carlo Maria Viganò Carlo Maria Viganò (; born 16 January 1941) is an archbishop of the Catholic Church who served as the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States from 19 October 2011 to 12 April 2016. He previously served as Secretary-General of the Governorate of ...

(born 1941),

Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

and

Apostolic Nuncio An apostolic nuncio ( la, nuntius apostolicus; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international org ...

the United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, 2011 to 2016 * Giuseppe Zamberletti (born 1933), Italian politician recognised as the founding father of the modern Italian Department of

Civil Protection Civil defense ( en, region=gb, civil defence) or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally non-combatants) from man-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, miti ...

Cycling

Varese has had a long and strong tradition when it comes to cycling. They hosted the 1951 and 2008 editions of the World Road Cycling Championships . One of the biggest events its the yearly

Tre Valli Varesine The Tre Valli Varesine is a semi classic European bicycle race held in Varese, Italy. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.HC event on the UCI Europe Tour. It is usually the first and most important race of Trittico Lombardo, which c ...

, that ussualy takes place at the end of september beginning october. Is a race that goes through the three varesinian valleys: the Valganna, and . Varese has been home to numerous cyclists, including: *

Ivan Basso Ivan Basso (born 26 November 1977) is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer, who rode professionally between 1999 and 2015 for seven different teams. Basso, nicknamed Ivan the Terrible, was considered among the best mountain riders in ...

(born 1977), professional cyclist and winner of the 2006 and 2010 Giro d'Italia *

Alfredo Binda Alfredo Binda (11 August 1902 – 19 July 1986) was an Italian road cyclist of the 1920s and 1930s. He was the first to win five editions of the Giro d'Italia, and a three-time world champion. In addition he won Milan–San Remo twice, and the ...

(1902–1986), a cyclist of the 1920s and 1930s, later trainer of

Fausto Coppi Angelo Fausto Coppi (; 15 September 1919 – 2 January 1960) was an Italian cyclist, the dominant international cyclist of the years after the World War II, Second World War. His successes earned him the title ''Il Campionissimo'' ("Champio ...

and

Gino Bartali Gino Bartali (; 18 July 1914 – 5 May 2000), nicknamed Gino the Pious and (in Italy) Ginettaccio, was a champion road cyclist. He was the most renowned Italian cyclist before the Second World War, having won the Giro d'Italia twice, in 19 ...

Gianni Bugno Gianni Bugno (; born 14 February 1964) is a retired Italian professional road racing cyclist. Biography Bugno was a versatile rider, able to do well in different types of races. He won numerous stages in the Tour de France, and the Milan–S ...

(born 1964), cyclist *

Noemi Cantele Noemi Cantele (born 17 July 1981) is a professional road bicycle racer. In 2012, she rides for the Be Pink team in women's elite professional events on the National Racing Calendar and UCI Women's World Cup. She competed at the 2012 Summer ...

(born 1981), cyclist *

Valentina Carretta Valentina Carretta (born 16 September 1989) is an Italian racing cyclist. She competed in the 2013 UCI women's team time trial in Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany Regions ...

(born 1989), cyclist *

Claudio Chiappucci Claudio Chiappucci (born 28 February 1963 in Uboldo, Varese, Lombardy) is a retired Italian professional cyclist. He was on the podium three times in the Tour de France general classification: second in 1990, third in 1991 and second again in 19 ...

(born 1963), cyclist *

Gabriele Colombo Gabriele Colombo (born 11 May 1972 in Varese) is an Italian road bicycle racer. He won the Milan–San Remo in 1996. Major results ;1994 :3rd GP Lugano ;1995 :1st Stage 3 Tour de France ( TTT) :3rd Overall Vuelta a Burgos ::1st Stage 2 :6th O ...

(born 1972), cyclist * Davide Frattini (born 1978), cyclist *

Francesco Frattini Francesco Frattini (born 18 January 1967, in Varese) is an Italian former road bicycle racer. Major results ;1995 :1st, Rund um den Henninger-Turm :1st, Stage 6, Bicicleta Vasca :1st, Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme ::1st, Stage 3 ;1996 :1st, Sta ...

(born 1967), cyclist *

Óscar Freire Óscar Freire Gómez (born 15 February 1976) is a former Spanish professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the top sprinters in road bicycle racing, having won the world championship three times, equalling Alfredo Binda, Rik Van Steenbe ...

(born 1976), Spanish cyclist *

Stefano Garzelli Stefano Garzelli (born 16 July 1973) is an Italian former professional road racing cyclist, who competed as a professional between 1997 and 2013. The high point of his career was his overall win in the 2000 Giro d'Italia, after a close three-wa ...

(born 1973), cyclist; overall winner of the 2000 Giro d'Italia *

Paride Grillo Paride Grillo (born 23 March 1982, in Varese) is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer. He rode in two editions of the Giro d'Italia, and finished 2nd on stage 12 of the 2005 edition. Major results ;2002 : 2nd Trofeo Franco Ba ...

(born 1982), cyclist with

CSF Group-Navigare CSF may refer to: Biology and medicine * Cerebrospinal fluid, clear colorless bodily fluid found in the brain and spine * Colony-stimulating factor, secreted glycoproteins * Cancer slope factor, estimate the risk of cancer * Classical swine fever ...

Daniele Nardello Daniele Nardello (born 2 August 1972 in Varese) is a retired Italian professional road racing cyclist. His career ran from 1994 to 2009, with highlights including winning the 2001 Italian national road race championship, the 2003 Züri-Metzgete, ...

(born 1972), a professional

road racing cyclist Road bicycle racing is the cycle sport discipline of road cycling, held primarily on paved roads. Road racing is the most popular professional form of bicycle racing, in terms of numbers of competitors, events and spectators. The two most common ...

who rides for Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli * Andrea Peron (born 1971), cyclist * Michael Rogers (born 1979), Australian cyclist *

Charly Wegelius Charles "Charly" Wegelius (born 26 April 1978 in Espoo, Finland) is a British former professional road racing cyclist. Never a winner of a professional race individually, Wegelius nevertheless made a career out of being a reliable and strong ...

(born 1978), British cyclist *

Cameron Wurf Cameron Wurf (born 3 August 1983) is an Australian professional triathlete and road cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam . He was a national champion and Australian representative rower – a 2004 Olympian who won a World Rowing U23 C ...

(born 1983), ex Australian Olympic rower and now professional cyclist for Cannondale Liquigas *

Stefano Zanini Stefano Zanini (born 23 January 1969 in Varese, Lombardy) is an Italian former professional road racing cyclist, the leadout man for Liquigas-Bianchi in 2006, after riding for Mapei, , and Quick-Step. His palmares include the Milano–Tori ...

(born 1969), cyclist

Music festivals

* Open Jazz Vares

* Ghost Day Festival

Sport

Varese is known for the

which played, in the 1970s, 10 Euroleague, European Champions Cup finals in a row and won 5 of them. *

(

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

) * A.S. Mastini Varese Hockey * Pro Tennis Team Varese * 2008 UCI Road World Championships *

1951 UCI Road World Championships The 1951 UCI Road World Championships took place on 2 September in Varese, Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Medite ...

International relations

Varese is twinned with: *

Alba Iulia Alba Iulia (; german: Karlsburg or ''Carlsburg'', formerly ''Weißenburg''; hu, Gyulafehérvár; la, Apulum) is a city that serves as the seat of Alba County in the west-central part of Romania. Located on the Mureș River in the historical ...

, Romania *

Romans-sur-Isère Romans-sur-Isère (; Occitan: ''Rumans d'Isèra''; Old Occitan: ''Romans'') is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France. Geography Romans-sur-Isère is located on the Isère, northeast of Valence. There are more than 50,000 in ...

, France

References

External links

*
Tourist information
Agenzia del Turismo Varese
arci Varese, association for the promotion of social, Territorial Delegation

{{Authority control Cities and towns in Lombardy