10.22.05
Art and Culture, Varese. Italian Lakes
Art and Culture, Varese. Italian Lakes
The monuments of Varese are born out of a very rich historic heritage of villas and castles. Built by the Borromeo family in the Liberty style, the Churches, museums and beautiful gardens attract tourists as well as lovers of art and architecture. Antico Borgo is the historical centre of the city where the most important monuments of Varese are found. The Basilica di San Vittore (1589) with its neoclassical facade and the splendid paintings by Mazzucchelli. Together with the Baroc Church tower (Torre Campanaria 1616), and the annexed Battistero di San Giovanni, now a national Monument. Among the Churches of Varese the Church of Santo Stefano deserves to be visited with its medieval superimpositions. The palaces and gardens of Varese include the Palazzo del Pretorio, the Palazzo Biumi, and most of all the Palazzo Estense, national monument of great importance to Varese and Italy. Today Palazzo Estense is the seat of the Varese municipality. To the rear extends one of the most enchanting parks of Italy, named Giardini Estensi. Just as beautiful and well worth seeing is the English Garden of the Villa Mirabello, seat of the civic museums of Varese. Another major element of the art and culture in Varese and of its monuments are the numerous castles, among them the Castle of Masnago, and the splendid villas, Ville Ponti, Villa Menafoglio Litta Panza, all surrounded by beautiful parks. A particular characteristic of the art and culture of Varese is the Liberty style which is common to many of the residential villas in the province, almost all dated between 1800 and 1930. Liberty style represents for Varese the expression of the search of a new and modern figurative style in an area where industrial development has been faster and more advanced than elsewhere. In fact, the phenomenon spread from the end of the 1800s also taking over residential building thus making evident the established rapport with the circumstantial environment. Looking over the city is the monumental architectural complex of the Sacro Monte (Holy Mountain) with the fascinating medieval village, the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Monte and the 14 Chapels of the 1600s, dedicated to the mysteries of the Rosary. At the Sacro Monte one can also admire the art collections of the Baroffio Museum which conserves the original mould, in French plaster, of the bronze doors of the Dome of Milan.
Italian Lakes Tourist Information Guides – Tourism in Varese.
