Identity: from a borough of castellanze to a city, with Saint Victor as patron
The municipal statute traces Varese's autonomy from the Statutes of 1347 to the imperial privilege of «non-enfeoffment» of 1538; Varese was a borough with its castellanze (outlying districts) until 1816, when it was raised to the rank of city, and in 1927 it became a provincial capital. Saint Victor, patron of the city, appears in the crest of its coat of arms.
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Milestones of self-government
The preamble to the statute traces the Varese community's spirit of autonomy to the Statutes of 1347, the imperial privilege of «non-enfeoffment» of 1538, the Ordinances of 1585 and the Theresian reform of 1757. It then lists as key milestones the elevation to city status in 1816 (Varese had previously been a «borgo» with its «castellanze»), its part in the Risorgimento, its elevation in 1927 to capital of a large area of north-western Lombardy, after the brief experiences of 1787-1791 and 1797-1798, and its active role in the Resistance.
Coat of arms and patron saint
According to article 4, the coat of arms, the gonfalon and the flag are the community's distinctive signs. The coat of arms is a Samnite shield divided horizontally, red with a silver pale in the upper part and silver in the lower, topped by a marquis's crown and by a crest showing a warrior, Saint Victor, patron of the city, holding a white flag with a red cross and the palm of martyrdom.
A European city
Finally, the statute cites Varese's geographical position and its social, economic and cultural ties with the other countries of the continent as reasons for the community's firm commitment to Europe.
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Updated: 2026-10-22
Reviewed: 10/23/2026 · by piero.avolio · rev. 1 · Period: → 2027-10-31
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