Varallo Sesia
Encyclopedia
Varallo commonly known as Varallo Sesia, is a comune
and town of c. 7,400 inhabitants in the province of Vercelli
in the Piedmont
region of Italy
. It is situated in Valsesia
, at 450 m above sea-level and some 66 km north-north-west of Vercelli
.
Once called Varade, it is divided in two boroughs (Varallo Vecchia and Varallo Nuova) by the Mastallone stream.
In 1971 Varallo was awarded the Golden Medal for Military Value for the deeds of its population against the German occupation in the late stages of World War II
.
is very narrow at this point as it nears its source. Varallo lies on the left bank where the Mastallone flows into the Sesia.
The town is surrounded by the foothills of the Alps
and is not far from the Monte Rosa
, which is visible from the surrounding hills.
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The churches of San Gaudenzio, Santa Maria delle Grazie, and Santa Maria di Loreto, all contain works by Gaudenzio Ferrari
, who was born in the neighboring Valduggia
.
Museums and galleries include the Pinacoteca Civica (the David and Goliath pictured is by Tanzio da Varallo
who was born in the frazione Riale), the Museo Comola in the frazione Camasco, the Museo Scaglia and the Museo di Storia Naturale Calderini.
150 m above the town the Sacro Monte di Varallo
is one of the most famous Piedmontese pilgrimage sites, and the oldest of the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy which were inscribed by UNESCO
in the World Heritage List in 2003. The environs are composed of winding paths leading past forty-five chapel-like enclosures containing groups of life-size painted terra-cotta figures with backgrounds in fresco (by Gaudenzio Ferrari
and others). The tableux represent scenes from mainly from the life of Jesus. The array was initiated by a Franciscan
, Bernardino Caimi, who aimed to reproduce locally images of the passion as a goal of pilgrims
. The main pilgrimage church was built by Pellegrino Tibaldi
after 1578. In the works mentioned Ferrari's whole development may be traced.
In the frazione
of Arboerio are the old church of SS. Quirico and Giulitta, with a 17th century polyptych and an altar of the Madonna del Rosario, and the Villa Eremo.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
and town of c. 7,400 inhabitants in the province of Vercelli
Province of Vercelli
Vercelli is a province in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Its capital is Vercelli., it has an area of 2,088 km², and a total population of 176,829...
in the Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
region of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is situated in Valsesia
Valsesia
Valsesia is a group of valleys in north-east of Piedmont in the Province of Vercelli, Italy; the principal valley is that of the river Sesia.The major cities are Varallo Sesia, Borgosesia, Serravalle Sesia; important touristic villages include Alagna Valsesia, Rima, Carcoforo, Scopello.-External...
, at 450 m above sea-level and some 66 km north-north-west of Vercelli
Vercelli
Vercelli is a city and comune of about 47,000 inhabitants in the Province of Vercelli, Piedmont, northern Italy. One of the oldest urban sites in northern Italy, it was founded, according to most historians, around the year 600 BC.The city is situated on the river Sesia in the plain of the river...
.
Once called Varade, it is divided in two boroughs (Varallo Vecchia and Varallo Nuova) by the Mastallone stream.
In 1971 Varallo was awarded the Golden Medal for Military Value for the deeds of its population against the German occupation in the late stages of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Geography
The valley of the SesiaSesia
Sesia may refer to:* Sesia River, in northwest Italy* Sesia , a district during the First French Empire, named after the river* Sesia, a genus of moths* The Valsesia, the river’s valley...
is very narrow at this point as it nears its source. Varallo lies on the left bank where the Mastallone flows into the Sesia.
The town is surrounded by the foothills of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
and is not far from the Monte Rosa
Monte Rosa
The Monte Rosa Massif is a mountain massif located in the eastern part of the Pennine Alps. It is located between Switzerland and Italy...
, which is visible from the surrounding hills.
Main sights
Gaudenzio Ferrari
Gaudenzio Ferrari was a Northern Italian painter and sculptor of the Renaissance.-Biography:Gaudenzio was born at Valduggia in the Valsesia in the Duchy of Milan. Valduggia is now in the Province of Vercelli in Piedmont. He is said to have first learned the art of painting at Vercelli from...
, who was born in the neighboring Valduggia
Valduggia
Valduggia is a comune in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 km northeast of Turin and about 45 km north of Vercelli...
.
Museums and galleries include the Pinacoteca Civica (the David and Goliath pictured is by Tanzio da Varallo
Tanzio da Varallo
Antonio d'Enrico, called Tanzio da Varallo, or simply il Tanzio was an Italian painter of the late-Mannerist or early Baroque period....
who was born in the frazione Riale), the Museo Comola in the frazione Camasco, the Museo Scaglia and the Museo di Storia Naturale Calderini.
150 m above the town the Sacro Monte di Varallo
Sacro Monte di Varallo
The Sacred Mountain of Varallo is the oldest of the Italian and foreign constructions of its kind. It was founded in 1491, by friar Bernardino Caimi of the Ordine dei Minori Osservanti di San Francesco...
is one of the most famous Piedmontese pilgrimage sites, and the oldest of the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy which were inscribed by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in the World Heritage List in 2003. The environs are composed of winding paths leading past forty-five chapel-like enclosures containing groups of life-size painted terra-cotta figures with backgrounds in fresco (by Gaudenzio Ferrari
Gaudenzio Ferrari
Gaudenzio Ferrari was a Northern Italian painter and sculptor of the Renaissance.-Biography:Gaudenzio was born at Valduggia in the Valsesia in the Duchy of Milan. Valduggia is now in the Province of Vercelli in Piedmont. He is said to have first learned the art of painting at Vercelli from...
and others). The tableux represent scenes from mainly from the life of Jesus. The array was initiated by a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
, Bernardino Caimi, who aimed to reproduce locally images of the passion as a goal of pilgrims
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
. The main pilgrimage church was built by Pellegrino Tibaldi
Pellegrino Tibaldi
Pellegrino Tibaldi , also known as Pellegrino di Tibaldo de Pellegrini, was an Italian mannerist architect, sculptor, and mural painter.-Biography:...
after 1578. In the works mentioned Ferrari's whole development may be traced.
In the frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
of Arboerio are the old church of SS. Quirico and Giulitta, with a 17th century polyptych and an altar of the Madonna del Rosario, and the Villa Eremo.
External links