Varese

For the composer, see Edgard Varèse. For the village in Estonia, see Varese, Estonia.

Varese
—  Comune  —
Città di Varese
Palazzo Estense
Coat of arms
Varese Location of Varese in Italy
Coordinates: 45°49′N 08°50′E / 45.817°N 8.833°E / 45.817; 8.833Coordinates: 45°49′N 08°50′E / 45.817°N 8.833°E / 45.817; 8.833
Country	Italy
Region	Lombardy
Province	Varese (VA)
Frazioni	Avigno, Belforte, Biumo Inferiore, Biumo Superiore, Bizzozero, Bobbiate, Bosto, Bregazzana, Bustecche, Calcinate degli Orrigoni, Calcinate del Pesce, Campo dei Fiori, Capolago, Cartabbia, Casa Bassa, Casbeno, Cascina Gualtino, Cascina Mentasti, Caverzasio, Fogliaro, Gaggio, Giubiano, Lissago, Masnago, Mirasole, Mustonate, Oronco, Prima Cappella, Rasa di Varese, San Fermo, Sangallo, Santa Maria del Monte, Sant'Ambrogio, Schiranna, Ungheria, Velate
Government
– Mayor	Attilio Fontana
Area
– Total	54 km2 (20.8 sq mi)
Elevation	382 m (1,253 ft)
Population (31 January 2009)
– Total	81,922
– Density	1,517.1/km2 (3,929.2/sq mi)
Demonym	Varesini
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
– Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	21100
Dialing code	0332
Patron saint	San Vittore
Saint day	May 8
Website	Official website

Varese (Italian: [vaˈreːze] ( listen), Latin Baretium, archaic German: Väris, Varès in Varesino) is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.

It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.

Geography

The town of Varese lies at the feet of Sacro Monte di Varese, which is part of the Campo dei Fiori mountain range. The town also looks over Lake Varese.

Demographics

Varese, like the province, has a very high immigrant population owing to both its economy (many multi-national companies and the nearby EU institution JRC) and its location (proximity to Milan makes it an ideal place for the latter city's workers).

History

In 1859, Giuseppe Garibaldi confronted Austrian forces led by Field Marshal-Lieutenant Carl Baron Urban near Varese. Also, it was here were Alessandro Marchetti's Savoia-Marchetti SM.93 made his first test flights.

Transport

See also: Varese railway station

The town is served by both the state-run Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) and Ferrovie Nord Milano (TRENORD), both of which run high-frequency train services to Milan. In addition, there is a project under way to connect Varese with Malpensa Airport; this line would then continue past Varese to Mendrisio and Lugano in Switzerland. Construction of the Varese-Mendrisio section (17.7 kilometers (11.0 mi) long) is expected to begin in 2009.^[1]

The town has both an extensive city bus network and provincial bus services. The A8 motorway connects Varese with Milan. This motorway was part of the first toll road system in the world. The Italian government gave permission in 2008 to start works on the long awaited Varese-Como-Bergamo motorway, which would also include a bypass of the town of Varese. Works are to start in 2010, and they might be finished by 2013.^[2]

Main sights

The town is most famous for the Sacro Monte di Varese ('the sacred mountain of Varese'), a place of pilgrimage and worship. It is one of the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy, included on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Economy

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

• Aermacchi (military trainer aircraft)
• AgustaWestland (helicopters)
• Cagiva, MV Agusta (motorbikes)
• Ficep (Machine Tools for steel construction)
• Ignis (now part of Whirlpool) (electronics)
• Vibram
• Prealpi (cheese)
• Mazzuchelli
• DiVarese (Shoes)

and many more as it is one of the most industrialised areas in Northern Italy.

Varese is home to Malpensa International Airport, which serves the international traffic of Milan, Italy.

Education

Varese is home to a European School, the European School, Varese, which was established in 1960 for the children of European Union staff, who work mainly at one of the three Joint Research Centres in nearby Ispra.

It is one of the two sites of the University of Insubria.

Notable people associated with Varese

• Pietro Antonio Magatti (1691–1767), a painter active in Lombardy in a late-Baroque (barocchetto) style.
• Enrico Dandolo (1827–1849), a figure of the Italian Risorgimento who participated in several of its most important battles and participated in the formation of the Roman Republic.
• 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 uprising.
• Emilio Morosini (1830–1849), participant in the Risorgimento.
• Francesco Tamagno (1850–1905), a great operatic tenor and the creator of the role of Verdi's Otello, who lived at Varese and died at his villa there, aged 54.
• Alfredo Binda (1902–1986), a cyclist of the 1920s and 1930s, later trainer of Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali.
• 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.
• Franco Ossola (1921–1949), a member of the Torino F.C. squad who died in the Superga air disaster; Stadio Franco Ossola, the stadium of A.S. Varese 1910, is named in his honour.
• Giuseppe Zamberletti (born 1933), Italian politician recognised as the founding father of the modern Italian Department of Civil Protection.
• Attilio Nicora (born 1937), cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church]] and Emeritus Bishop of Verona.
• Bruno Ermolli (born 1939), businessman.
• Renato Pozzetto (born 1940), actor, director and cabaret artist and one of the best loved figures of Italian comedy in recent years.
• Umberto Bossi (born 1941), politician; leader of the Lega Lombarda, and of the Lega Nord; Minister for Institutional Reforms and Devolution and Minister of Federal Reforms.
• Roberto Lucarelli (born 1973), Chief Engineer at Proxy S.r.l
• Mario Monti (born 1943), economist and politician; European Commissioner from 1995 to 2004.
• Aldo Ossola (born 1945), a former basketball player for the Ignis Varese team of the 1970s.
• Flavio Premoli (born 1949), an Italian musician and composer, a member of the Italian progressive rock band PFM.
• Dino Meneghin (born 1950), professional basketball player for Ignis Varese and silver medalist at the 1980 Summer Olympics.
• Roberto Maroni (born 1955), Italian politician, member of Lega Nord who served as Minister of the Interior and Minister of Labour and Welfare in various Berlusconi governments.
• Lilli Carati (born 1956), former model and pornographic actress.
• Catherine Nardiello (born 1958), Italian-American pianist, lived in Varese in the late 1980s.
• Francesco Vescovi known as “Cecco” (born 1964), a former basketball player who grew up in Varese.
• Ivan Basso (born 1977), professional cyclist and winner of the 2006 and 2010 Giro d'Italia.
• Fabrizio Macchi known as “Cuky” (born 1970), an amputee cyclist and bronze medal winner at the 2004 Summer Paralympics.
• Daniele Nardello (born 1972), a professional road racing cyclist who rides for Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli.
• Stefano Garzelli (born 1973), cyclist; overall winner of the 2000 Giro d'Italia.
• Andrea Meneghin (born 1974), basketball player and coach with Pallacanestro Varese; selected in the All-Eurobasket Team in 1999 when the Italian national team won the Gold medal.
• Lorenzo Patelli (born 1977), distinguished accounting professor at the University of Denver.
• Laura Macchi (born 1979), basketball player whose career began at Pallacanestro Varese.
• Paride Grillo (born 1982), cyclist with CSF Group-Navigare.
• Gennaro Gattuso (born 1978), professional football player, plays for A.C. Milan winner of several Champions League trophies and also part of the Italy national football team that won the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He has a fish shop in Varese. He is a powerful centre defensive midfielder noted for his hard tackles and aggressive style of play.
• Cameron Wurf (born 1983) ex Australian Olympic rower and now professional cyclist for Cannondale Liquigas

Music festivals

• Open Jazz Varese [1]
• Ghost Day Festival [2]

Sport

Varese is known for the Pallacanestro Varese which played, in the 1970s, 10 European Champions Cup finals in a row and won 5 of them.

• A.S. Varese 1910 (football)
• A.S. Mastini Varese Hockey
• Pro Tennis Team Varese
• 2008 UCI Road World Championships

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Twin towns — Sister cities

Varese is twinned with:

• Romans-sur-Isère, France
• Alba Iulia, Romania

References

1. ^ http://giost.varesenotizie.it/viaggi/turismo/296-linea-ferroviaria-varese-mendrisio-nel-2009-si-parte.html
2. ^ http://www.bergamonews.it/provincia/articolo.php?id=1576

External links

• History Art and Culture of Varese in the Italian Lakes
• Italian Lakes Photograph Gallery, Lake Varese Italian Lakes Photograph Gallery - Tourist Guide.
• Tourist information, Agenzia del Turismo Varese
• arci Varese, association for the promotion of social, Territorial Delegation