Busto Arsizio www.busto-arsizio.it

It is situated on the south of the Varese Province, in the plain between the Ticino River and the Olona River.

Until 1119 there are no news about Busto Arsizio that probably was a roman village near the road linking Milano to Angera and not far away from the road that crossed the Olona Valley.

Two community of Humiliates have been settled and engaged in the wool manufacture in 1200. In a short time the 'bustocchi' became famous cotton and fustian manufacturers and sold them in all Europe.

In the XVIII century the weavers from Busto were in so great demand that their emigration was forbidden.
At the end of the XVIII century an extensive technical and economical development took place and since then the cotton industry has exported its fabrics to markets all over the world.

In 1861, it was awarded the title of city, completing the transition from rural industry to larger scale industry. At that time there were 40 factories providing 5,000 jobs and Busto was joined to the first railway line. The town flourished. Its mechanical engineering industry for the production of textile machinery developed alongside the cotton industry.

In the 1948 has been created with capital provided by the citizens of Busto the Busto Airport, named Malpensa Airport in 1951.

To see:

- Santa Maria in Piazza's Sanctuary, a Renaissance jewel, built on the site of a very old church dedicated to the Virgin, was designed by Antonio from Lonate, Bramante's pupil, and by Tommaso Rodari from Maroggia. The inside walls are frescoed by famous artists belonging to the Lombard tradition

-San Giovanni Battista's Church, designed by F. M. Richini is an important example of Lombard baroque style. It preserves some paintings by Daniele Crespi. Its Capitulary Library preserves some miniated antiphonaries made by Francesco Crespi De Roberti

- San Michele's Church, rebuilding of a Romanesque construction where a medieval fortress sprang up and whose tower is probably the lower part of the bell tower, has the main altar of polychrome marbles designed by Biagio Bellotti and made by the Buzzi from Viggiù

- San Rocco's Church, built after the 1485 plague

- Cicogna Palace, the seat of the Town Hall in 1822 and later of the Court House. At present it houses the Library and the Civic Art Collection

- the Textile and Industrial Tradition Museum, opened to the public in 1997 with the aim of reminding the inhabitants and visitors of the story of textile production and to keep industrial culture alive

- the Palabandera, a private foundation that houses exhibitions of modern and contemporary artists

- the Altomilanese Park