In Roman times, the fortified settlements ofCastelseprio and the port ofAngera were of high importance in the region. TheHouse of Visconti conquered the region in the 13th century and completely destroyed Castelseprio.[5] The House of Visconti used the land for agricultural purposes and as part of the territories of Milan. During this Visconti rule, Varese became prosperous due to high levels of trade in the region but remained small. Prior to his appointment as Duke,Francesco III d'Este, Duke of Modena lived in the region during the 18th century. While the unification of Italy was initiating, Italian generalGiuseppe Garibaldi attempted to install anti-Austrians in Varese; in response to this, the Austrians attempted to invade in 1859, and abattle occurred in Varese, resulting in Garibaldi's victory. During the second half of the 19th century, the area saw considerable economic growth with the birth of numerous factories, especially in the paper, mechanical, and textile industries.Umberto Bossi was born in 1941 near Varese, who believed that the region of Lombardy should have a degree of independence; in 1986, he founded the Lombard League which became a component of theLega Nord ("North League").[5]
The agriculture of this sub-Alpine region is based on livestock farming and the economy mainly relies on theindustrial sector, with many people commuting daily to Milan.[9] Among the main companies headquartered in the province areAlenia Aermacchi (aeronautics),AgustaWestland (aeronautics),Bticino (metalworking),Cagiva (motorcycles),Birrificio Angelo Poretti (brewery), Ignis (home appliances),Vibram (footwear soles).[9] In the past the province was famous for itstextile industry, especially in theOlona Valley and theBusto Arsizio-Gallarate area, but this has gradually declined since the 1970s. Likewise, Varese was the birthplace of some of Italy's main aircraft manufacturers; in addition to the already-mentioned Aermacchi and AgustaWestland,Savoia Marchetti was also born here.
There are local cheeses made from goat's milk and local meat dishes, and there are freshwater fish caught in the many lakes.[10] Other local products are a local variety ofasparagus,chestnuts, berries andhoney, and grapes grown locally are made into traditional red and white wines.[10]
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