Varallo
Varallo, officially Varallo Sesia, is a comune and town in the province of Vercelli, in the Piedmont region of north-western Italy. It lies in the valley of Valsesia at about 450 metres (1,480 ft) above sea level, some 66 kilometres north-northeast of Vercelli and 55 kilometres north-west of Novara. The town is renowned as the seat of the Sacro Monte di Varallo, a UNESCO-listed devotional complex.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic town (comune)
- Period
- Town in Valsesia; Sacro Monte from the late 15th century
- Style
- Alpine valley town with Renaissance and later religious architecture
- Location
- Valsesia, province of Vercelli, Piedmont, Italy
Overview
Varallo Sesia, commonly known as Varallo, is a town in the Valsesia valley of Piedmont, in the province of Vercelli. Situated at around 450 metres above sea level, it stands at the gateway to the upper Sesia valley in the foothills of the Alps. The town is best known internationally as the home of the Sacro Monte di Varallo.
History
Varallo developed as the principal town of the Valsesia, a valley running up toward the Alpine watershed in north-western Piedmont. From the late 15th century it became the site of the Sacro Monte di Varallo, a hillside complex of chapels conceived as a “New Jerusalem” for pilgrims. The Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy, including Varallo, are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
What you see
The town occupies the floor and slopes of the Valsesia, surrounded by the wooded mountains of the upper Sesia valley. Above it rises the Sacro Monte, reached on foot or by cable car, with its sequence of chapels and a basilica. The setting combines an alpine valley townscape with a major devotional and artistic complex.
Cultural significance
Varallo is celebrated for the Sacro Monte di Varallo, part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy. The town anchors the cultural and pilgrimage heritage of the Valsesia, drawing visitors to both its religious art and its alpine landscape.
Practical information
Check the official website of the comune of Varallo or local Valsesia tourist information for opening hours of the Sacro Monte, the cable car and visitor services.
Getting there
Varallo lies in the Valsesia and is reached by road from Vercelli, Novara and the A26 motorway. The Sacro Monte above the town can be reached on foot or by funicular cable car from the town centre.