Varese (Province), Italy

Varese (Province), Italy

Varese (Province) Italy

The province of Varese is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Varese (with a population of 80,857), but its largest city is Busto Arsizio. The headquarters of AgustaWestland – the company that was merged into Leonardo in 2016 and is the world’s largest producer of helicopters – is based in Samarate, a comune in the province. As of 2015, it has a population of 889,410 over an area of 1,198.11 square kilometres (462.59 sq mi). The president of the province is Nicola Gunnar Vincenzi. In Roman times, the fortified settlements of Castelseprio and the port of Angera were of great importance in the region. The House of Visconti conquered the area in the 13th century and completely destroyed Castelseprio. The Visconti used the land for agricultural purposes and as part of the territories of Milan. Under Visconti rule, Varese became prosperous thanks to high levels of trade in the region, but it remained small. Before his appointment as duke, Francesco III d’Este, Duke of Modena, lived in the area during the 18th century. During the unification of Italy, the Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi tried to install anti-Austrian forces in Varese; in response, the Austrians attempted an invasion in 1859, and a battle took place in Varese, ending in Garibaldi’s victory. During the second half of the 19th century, the area experienced substantial economic growth with the establishment of numerous factories, especially in the paper, mechanical, and textile industries. Umberto Bossi, who was born in 1941 near Varese, believed that the Lombardy region should have a degree of independence; in 1986, he founded the Lombard League, which later became part of Lega Nord (the Northern League).
Recommended airport
Lugano (LUG)
Nearby destinations
  • Milan a 48.25 km
  • Monza a 45.52 km
  • Lake Maggiore a 18.77 km