Saronno
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| Comune di Saronno | |
|---|---|
 Municipal coat of arms |
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| Country |  Italy |
| Region | Lombardy |
| Province | Varese (VA) |
| Elevation | 212 m (696 ft) |
| Area | 10.86 km² (4 sq mi) |
| Population (as of December 31, 2004) | |
| - Total | 37,472 |
| - Density | 3,450/km² (8,935/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CET, UTC+1 |
| Coordinates | |
| Gentilic | Saronnesi |
| Dialing code | 02 |
| Postal code | 21047 |
| Frazioni | Cassina Ferrara, la Colombara |
| Patron | St. Peter and St. Paul |
| - Day | June 29 |
| Website: www.comune.saronno.va.it | |
Saronno is a comune of Lombardy, Italy, in the province of Varese.
The place is well known for its apricot kernel macaroons (amaretti) and is also a manufacturing town.
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[edit] Main sights
The pilgrimage church of the Madonna dei Miracoli, begun in 1498 by Vincenzo Dell'Orto, has a dome with very fine architecture on the outside. The bell tower dates from 1516, the rest of the church is of a later date. Internally it is decorated with fine frescoes by Gaudenzio Ferrari, representing The Concert of Angels, while those in the choir are by Bernardino Luini and are among his finest works. These include the Adoration of Magi, The Presentation, The Marriage of the Virginia and Jesus Discussing With the Doctors in the Temple. It is thought that Luini started these frescoes in the spring of 1524.
THE CHURCH OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI - This is the oldest church in Saronno with medieval origins. It was a small church outside the walls of the small village that was Saronno. In 1154 it was taken over by the monks of the Franciscan order and in the 13th century, 1297, the Archbishop of Milan, Francesco Fontana da Siena asked the parishioners to contribute to the building of a bigger church as the existing one was not sufficient for the needs of the monks. There are no traces of this church today because in the 15th century radical changes and restoration were carried out. It was during these changes that the lavish decorations that we see today were added. The church has a main, central nave with side aisles on either side. The chancel and high altar is at one end of the nave facing the main doors that are at the other end. The side aisles are lined with richly decorated chapels. The facade is baroque but the sloping roof is a sign of its medieval origins. There are two niches on the facade containing statues, one of St, Anthony and the other of St. Francis. These statues are copies but the originals can be seen in one of the chapels inside the church.
[edit] Transportation
Saronno is the most important junction station of the Ferrovie Nord Railway which is the main railway system running north of Milan. This railway has frequent trains from Milan to Como, to Varese, to Novara and to Malpensa Airport, as well as to Erba.
[edit] References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
[edit] External links
- Official Saronno website (Italian)
- Saronno website (English)
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