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, 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 ...
, 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 hinterland or exurban part of the city is called ''Varesotto''.
Geography
The city of Varese lies at the foot of
Sacro Monte di Varese, part of the
Campo dei Fiori mountain range, that hosts an astronomical
observatory, 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.
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 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 was s ...
; 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 ope ...
) and runs a high-frequency train to
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 ...
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
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 ope ...
). 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
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 ope ...
.
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
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 ...
and
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 ...
.
In Varese there is also a funicular service on the
Vellone-Sacro Monte funicular.
Main sights
The city is home to the
Sacro Monte di Varese ('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 centur ...
, 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
![Palazzo_e_giardini_estensi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Palazzo_e_giardini_estensi.JPG)
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 in
Casbeno 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 (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 (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
Lake Varese. 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 Ita ...
(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 Finmeccani ...
(helicopters)
*
Bticino (electrics)
*
Cagiva,
MV Agusta (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 (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: ; 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 ...
.
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 t ...
, 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 de ...
staff, who work mainly at one of the three institutes of the
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 '' ...
.
It is one of the two sites of the
University of Insubria, located in the heart of the Garden City is hosting in the newly built
Campus Bizzozero faculties of Medicine, Economics, Natural Sciences etc.
People
*
Ferruccio Azzarini (1924–2005), footballer
*
Flaminio Bertoni (1903–1964), a sculptor and industrial designer known especially for his work at
Citroën 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 f ...
(born 1941), politician; leader of the
Lega Lombarda, and of the
Lega Nord; 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 r ...
(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 Ki ...
*
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 Lega ...
(born 1952), politician, president of
Lombardy since 2018
*
Angelo Frattini (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
*
Pietro Antonio Magatti (1691–1767), a painter active in
Lombardy in a late-
Baroque (''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
Lega Nord
*
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 sa ...
*
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 court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
player and coach with
Pallacanestro Varese
*
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
*
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
Missoni which is also based in Varese
*
Mario Monti (born 1943), economist and politician
*
Emilio Morosini (1830–1849), participant in the Risorgimento
*
Bob Morse, in 2009, in recognition of his contributions on and off the
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
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 (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
*
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. 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 (born 1940), actor, director and cabaret artist and one of the best-loved figures of Italian comedy in recent years
*
Flavio Premoli (born 1949), musician and composer
*
Lia Quartapelle (born 1982), politician
*
Alessio Rovera
Alessio Rovera (born 22 June 1995) is an Italian 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. With 65 champ ...
(born 1995), racing driver
*
Corsi Sandro, 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 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 ...
to
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 territori ...
, 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 con ...
, 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 Second World War. His successes earned him the title ''Il Campionissimo'' ("Champion of Champions ...
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 ...
(born 1964), cyclist
*
Noemi Cantele (born 1981), cyclist
*
Valentina Carretta (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 199 ...
(born 1963), cyclist
*
Gabriele Colombo (born 1972), cyclist
*
Davide Frattini (born 1978), cyclist
*
Francesco Frattini (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 (born 1973), cyclist; overall winner of the
2000 Giro d'Italia
The 2000 Giro d'Italia was the 83rd edition of the Giro. It began with a prologue that navigated through the Italian capital Rome. The race came to a close on June 4 with a mass-start stage that ended in the Italian city of Milan. Twenty te ...
*
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 B ...
(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 who rides for
Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
*
Andrea Peron (born 1971), cyclist
*
Michael Rogers (born 1979), Australian cyclist
*
Charly Wegelius (born 1978), British cyclist
*
Cameron Wurf (born 1983), ex Australian Olympic rower and now professional cyclist for Cannondale Liquigas
*
Stefano Zanini (born 1969), cyclist
Music festivals
* Open Jazz Vares
* Ghost Day Festival
Sport
Varese is known for the
Pallacanestro Varese which played, in the 1970s, 10
Euroleague, European Champions Cup finals in a row and won
5 of them.
*
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, ...
(
football)
*
A.S. Mastini Varese Hockey
* Pro Tennis Team Varese
*
2008 UCI Road World Championships
The 2008 UCI Road World Championships took place in Varese, Italy, between September 23 and September 28, 2008. The event consisted of a road race and a time trial for men, women and men under 23.
Qualification
Participating nations
Cyclists fro ...
*
1951 UCI Road World Championships
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 historica ...
, 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 50,00 ...
, 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