Things to do in Gornate Olona Italy – what to see attractions and activities

The Antiquarian exhibits archaeological finds to the public dating back to the end of the 4th century. In 2009, the Museum was opened to the public and in 2011 it was included in the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

The A.Stoppani Museum of Natural History is based at the former High School of the Archbishop's Seminary Pius XI, and took the name of the priest and naturalist Antonio Stoppani, who was a teacher of the Seminary. Inside, there are about 98 display cases consisting of valuable mineralogical, paleontological, zoological and petrographic collections. Great attention is paid to interactive games and scientific research organized in the Museum.

The Villa Cagnola was built in the 18th century. In 1700 the building was the private residence of the noble Perbo. In 1850 the villa passed under the property of Giuseppe Cagnola who transformed it into a Villa of Delights. In fact, he furnished it with different works of art. Since the nobleman had no children, he donated the villa to the Church. Currently in the rooms of the villa there is the Higher Institute of Religious Studies.

The Olona Valley Park is located in the southeast of the country in Molini, and spans in an area of about 80,000 sqm. It includes the last part of the Olona Valley and the area of the confluence with the adjacent valleys.

The Museum of Natural Sciences, since 2007, is located in the rooms of Villa Braghenti. The materials on display, such as shells and fossils, are divided into eight sections according to specific issues. All objects are linked to the territory. In the Museum there is also a library where we can find all the books on specialization in archaeology and art history.

The war memorial, which gives glory to Italian soldiers who perished during the Great War in almost every city of Italy, in Malnate saw the light after a troubled process. The story of his birth has its origin in 1922.

The square and the Parish Church are dedicated to S. Maria Assunta with its stone facade of Angera and decorated in a rose while the interior is entirely decorated with frescoed ceilings, the ancient church of S. Alessandro, is probably of Longobard

The Fontanili Park was discovered during an event of “WWF Oasis Day”. The environment has an area of 15 hectares in which we can admire a great variety of flora and trees, among which are distinguished plants belonging to native species typical of the area.

The Visconti Castle of Fagnano was built in the twelfth century. It was born for a military purpose, and in the sixteenth century it was expanded by Gaspare Visconti. Inside there is a beautiful garden, and two towers, preserved in good condition, from which you have a magnificent view of Monte Rosa.

Opened in 2002, the Teatro di Varese was built with an avant-garde architectural style. The building accommodates up to 1,208 people and organizes events with actors of national fame.

The construction of the building began in the 18th century and takes its name from the hill where it is located. It has an English-style garden that preserves very rare trees such as the centuries-old cedar of Lebanon. Today it is home to the Civic Museum of Varese. Inside the archaeological museum you can observe the ``mummy of the museums of Varese ``, still under study, taken care of by the Institute of Anatomy and Pathological Histology of the University of Pisa. Among the findings of the culture of Golasecca can be noted the tomb of the Warrior of Sesto Calende.

This museum is currently being housed in the Villa Mirabello. It was built in 1871 by local scholars and enthusiasts. In 1875 the Marquis Andrea Ponti made donations to the museum that allowed him to become a famous museum in the region. Today, the museum preserves prehistoric Varesotto materials ranging from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age.

Piazza Montegrappa is located in the center of Varese and represents the main square of the city. Surrounded by numerous bars, a symbol of the city's nightlife, in the center there is a large and evocative fountain.

The museum, which was formerly based in Villa Mirabella, was moved inside the Castle of Masnago in 1995. He owns several collections of contemporary and modern art, works by numerous artists from Varese and beyond. You can admire the work of Pellini, Longoni, Magatti, Bodini, and many other homologous artists. The museum is open to the public.

The Baptistery of Saint John was built between the end of the 13th and early fourteenth century. The architecture consists of two quadrangular blocks. Restorations were made always keeping the original masonry and decoration. The façade has a bell structure.

The construction of the bell tower began in the 11th century and ended in 1631 by Bernascone, an architect well known at the time. Recently, he underwent restoration, as there was a fire. From the bell tower you can see an enviable and beautiful view of the whole city.

The collegiate basilica of San Vittore is dedicated to San Vittore and was built between the 16th and 17th centuries on a fourteenth-century structure. It has a baroque bell tower, and a neoclassical façade by Leopoldo Pollack.

The Estense Palace is one of the most visited and appreciated historical points in Varese. The construction dates back to the second half of the 18th century on a project by the architect Giuseppe Antonio Bianchi, who also created a splendid garden, and it was for years the residence of the Duke of Modena Francesco III of Este. Nowadays, the Palace is home to the City Hall of the city of Varese.

Masnago Castle was built around the fifteenth century by the Castiglioni family for military purposes. A characteristic feature of this building are the numerous international Gothic frescoes that enrich the walls inside it, and, in addition to these, we also find the works of modern Lombard painters collected and contemporaries. Today the municipality has used it as a Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.

The Tactile Museum of Varese was inaugurated in 2011, on the inspiration of the Italian Blind Union. This represents today a unique example in Europe, as it is dedicated exclusively to the display of tactile models made of wood. Its main objective is to become a sort of three-dimensional encyclopedia capable of stimulating not only the interest in tactile knowledge, but also that for the artistic and non-artistic 'world'. In fact, the sighted visitors pay the visit blindfolded in such a way as to experience tactile knowledge in its most essential form. In addition, very interesting and fun sensory paths are organized here.

The Villa, built in 1901, takes its name from the Polish banker Giuseppe Toeplitz, who bought it in 1914. In 1972 the property was acquired by the Municipality of Varese, who decided to open the park to the public. Today the park covers an area of about four hectares, characterized by an original architecture of driveways embellished with numerous varieties of exotic species and rejoiced by water features.

The Church of San Bernardino was built in 1567 in honor of the Saint. Inside the rooms have a rectangular shape and are made of marble. On the altar there are frescoes in which the 'Adoration of the Shepherds' and the 'Nativity of Maria' are represented.

Collections of minerals and fossils are exhibited in the museum. There are about 6,700 finds, including minerals and fossils of fish, vegetables, crustaceans, reptiles found. The three specimens of Lariosaurus Valceresii and the Cave Bear dating back about 215 million years ago are also very important. In addition, there are also two other sections with 700 taxidermised animals from locally sourced and a photographic archive of 8000 slides.

The Valganna Caves are caves of karst origin and are located in the territory of Induno Olona. These caves are among the best known in the area. They are the karst product of the Margorabbia River, which disappears in Cunardo under a system of caves.

Born in 1250 as a fortress to defend the territory of Milan, it was home to the Visconti in the fifteenth century. Today, the complex consists of three different castles and houses the world's largest collection of shaving dishes with more than 500 pieces.

The Sacro Monte of Varese, with its 14 Chapels that wind along a cobblestone of about 2 km, is undoubtedly the most fascinating Marian itinerary in the world.

Large public garden surrounds the ancient Cotonificio today a museum north of the Prepositural of S. Michele and not far from Villa Ottolini-Tosi built in 1902.

The “Enrico Butti” Museum was founded in 1927. A year earlier, Butti decided to donate to the City Council its gipsotheque of contemporary art. Here it is possible to observe sculptures, including 87 plaster models and some paintings. Between 2002 and 2004, the structure was adjusted to accommodate all the objects present.

The Foundation dates back to 2002 and aims to expose to the public the materials that tell the story of Agusta from its birth to today. The Museum is set up in twelve rooms where some aircraft from the twentieth century and some specimens linked to the world of motorcycles are exhibited.

The park dominates the hilly area of the city of Varese, and includes two massifs, the Massif of Mount Martica and the Campo dei Fiori Massif. It is part of the Varese Prealps chain, and has slopes dominated by deciduous forests such as beech and chestnut trees and many animal species including the two majestic ungulates, the deer and the roe deer, as well as foxes, hares and red squirrels.

The Civic Archaeological Museum was founded to collect the finds that came to us, from the ancient populations who lived here. From the objects it was possible to trace Celtic and Etruscan influences. The museum has various sections, all divided by different themes and historical periods. The institute is a beautiful window on the ancient history of this territory.

It was founded in the 12th century by Benedictine monks in a convergent territory of various valleys: Valganna, Valcuvia and Valmarchirolo. For centuries it has been a safe haven for pilgrims who traveled from the nearby Canton of Ticino and Central Europe to the south and vice versa. The Abbey was built around the original nucleus of the church established for the worship of the Martyr San Gemolo

The promenade allows you to walk along the lakefront ensuring a panoramic and breathtaking view of the entire Gulf of Ceresio. In summer in the evening it is often animated by a lively market.

Villa Panza is known for its contemporary art collection. Surrounded by a magnificent Italian garden, it was built in the middle of the 18th century by the will of the Marquis Paolo Antonio Menafoglio. In the salons and large stables, more than one hundred works by contemporary artists are exhibited today, as well as rich furnishings from the period ranging from the 16th to the 19th century and to an important collection of African art and pre-Columbian.