Varese

TYPE:
Country Park, religious architecture, historical architecture, geophysical study centre, astronomical observatory, botanical garden
DATE RANGE:
Palaeozoic (pre-carboniferous), Medieval and modern periods, contemporary period

Campo dei Fiori Regional Park

The Regional Country Park of Campo dei Fiori, created in 1984, extends to the north of Varese on the homonymous massif between Valganna, Valcuvia and Lake Varese. The protected area includes 17 boroughs and 2 mountain communities.
Among the factors that inspired the creation of the park are the geological characteristics of the ground and the diversity of the plant-life. In the park numerous types of wild orchids grow and birds of prey, both stable and migratory, live there, along with red deer, roe deer, badgers, warthogs and bats.
The historical monuments are of some importance, amongst which are noteworthy the complex of the Sacro Monte, the Hotel Campo dei Fiori and the Ganna Abbey. On the Punta Paradiso there is the largest astronomical observatory in Italy.