Tradate

Placed in the southeastern part of the Varese Province, at the border with the Como Province, has a level ground on the west and a hilly one on the east, where stands the Appiano Gentile and Tradate Pinewood Regional Nature Reserve.

Several finds of the Roman Times testify the ancient origin of the village, grown near the road that running along the Olona River climbed to Varese and the Alpine passes. No news is known about its life in the Middle Ages. Probably the near Abbiate Guazzone, today hamlet of Tradate, with its castle destroyed in 1071 by the Milanesi, was more important.

Tradate was named the first time in 1141, as a deposition was been given by Alberto Fava de loco Tradate in a dispute.

In 1297 feudal lords were the Briano Pusterla that was replaced in 1814 by the Melzi. As the last heir of the Melzi family became a nun, the old Pusterla castle has been changed in a charitable institution for young woman.

In 1482 Margherita Pusterla, abbess in the Torba monastery and niece of Umberetto Pusterla, get the permission to build a new monastery near the Church of Santo Sepolcro as that one of Torba was uncomfortable. Today, the Monastery of Santo Sepolcro is a private house and the old Church of Santo Sepolcro has been razed to the ground.

Around the second half of the XVIII century, Tradate grew as agricultural centre with a well-known weekly stock-market. Later, the first industrial activities for the manufacturing of cotton, fustian and silk has been established.
In 1905 stands up the Frera factory for the production of bicycles and motorcycles.

In 1957 Tradate joined Abbiate Guazzone and achieved the title of city.

To see:

- the Pusterla Castle and the Church of Santa Maria in Castello

- the Sanctuary of the Crocefisso, with a venerated wooden crucifix and a chapel painted by Morazzone

- the Church of Santo Stefano

- the Church of San Bernardo, built in 1686 by including an old chapel, preserves a 1522 frescoe

- the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Vigne, XIII century, with frescoes datable XVIII century.

- the Appiano Gentile and Tradate Pinewood Regional Nature Reserve