,
David and Goliath, c.1625 (Pinacoteca civica, Varallo) ’s statue of the angel Gabriel from the
Annunciation tableau in Chapel II of the Sacro Monte The churches of San Gaudenzio,
Santa Maria delle Grazie, and Santa Maria di Loreto, all contain works by
Gaudenzio Ferrari, who was born in the neighbouring
Valduggia. Museums and galleries include the Pinacoteca Civica (the
David and Goliath pictured is by
Tanzio da Varallo who was born in the frazione Riale), the Museo Comola in the frazione Camasco, the Museo Scaglia and the Museo di Storia Naturale Calderini. About above the town the
Sacro Monte di Varallo is one of the most famous Piedmontese pilgrimage sites, and the oldest of the
Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy which were inscribed by
UNESCO in the
World Heritage List in 2003. The environs are composed of winding paths leading past 45 chapel-like enclosures containing groups of life-size painted terra-cotta figures with backgrounds in fresco (by
Gaudenzio Ferrari and others). The tableaux represent scenes mainly from the life of Jesus. The array was initiated by a
Franciscan, Bernardino Caimi, who aimed to reproduce locally images of the passion as a goal of
pilgrims. The main pilgrimage church was built by
Pellegrino Tibaldi after 1578. In the works mentioned, Ferrari's whole development may be traced. With its Sacro Monte, its ensemble of historic churches in the city centre, and enduring acts of popular devotion, Varallo stands as an authentic '
holy city' for Piedmont and the subalpine region, grounded in a solid biblical spirituality. In the
frazione of Arboerio are the old church of Saints Quirico and Giulitta, with a 17th-century polyptych and an altar of the
Madonna del Rosario, and the
Villa Eremo. ==Twin towns — sister cities==