The citadel of science
In the shade of the forests on Campo dei Fiori, this famous centre runs studies on meteorology and seismology. It also provides an introduction to astronomy, particularly during rare and evocative events such as an eclipse of the sun or the moon, or the passage of a comet.
The Cittadella delle Scienze della Natura (Citadel of Natural Science), in a green setting within the forests of the Campo dei Fiori Regional Park, was founded in the 1950s by Professor Salvatore Furia, and it was named after the famous astronomer Giovanni Schiapparelli.
For several generations now, many people, above all families, scholars and children, have visited this centre to learn to observe the sky, study microclimatic features and the local flora, and also to enjoy one of the best views in the Varese area. The Citadel is in a location that looks over the surrounding subalpine valleys, right across to the Po Valley plain on clear days. The Citadel, which is run by a non-profit association, is very familiar to the population of Varese, who flock there in droves whenever there is a rare or evocative astronomical event, such as an eclipse of the sun or the moon, or the passage of a comet. The astronomical observatory, at a height of about 1,200 metres, has a 600 mm telescope with a 360-degree unrestricted horizon. As well as this technological instrumentation, the panoramic terrace has a range of professional equipment for meteorological studies, meteoclimatic research, and seismology.
There are also two interesting natural areas near the Citadel. The Zambeletti municipal park has an area of about sixty hectares, with flora dominated by Norway spruce, beech and other broad-leaved trees. The Tomaselli botanical gardens present four hundred plant species typical of the Lombard subalpine limestone habitat, and these species are all comprehensively catalogued.
The Cittadella delle Scienze della Natura (Citadel of Natural Science), in a green setting within the forests of the Campo dei Fiori Regional Park, was founded in the 1950s by Professor Salvatore Furia, and it was named after the famous astronomer Giovanni Schiapparelli.
For several generations now, many people, above all families, scholars and children, have visited this centre to learn to observe the sky, study microclimatic features and the local flora, and also to enjoy one of the best views in the Varese area. The Citadel is in a location that looks over the surrounding subalpine valleys, right across to the Po Valley plain on clear days. The Citadel, which is run by a non-profit association, is very familiar to the population of Varese, who flock there in droves whenever there is a rare or evocative astronomical event, such as an eclipse of the sun or the moon, or the passage of a comet. The astronomical observatory, at a height of about 1,200 metres, has a 600 mm telescope with a 360-degree unrestricted horizon. As well as this technological instrumentation, the panoramic terrace has a range of professional equipment for meteorological studies, meteoclimatic research, and seismology.
There are also two interesting natural areas near the Citadel. The Zambeletti municipal park has an area of about sixty hectares, with flora dominated by Norway spruce, beech and other broad-leaved trees. The Tomaselli botanical gardens present four hundred plant species typical of the Lombard subalpine limestone habitat, and these species are all comprehensively catalogued.
