ABSTRACT
The province of Varese occupies the north-western part of Lombardy, and it is characterized by a lot of sedimentary stones, except for the Granofiro di Cuasso al Monte, a hypabyssal igneous rock (Val Ceresio).
The most important stones are Pietra di Angera, Pietra di Malnate and three important stones coming from the “Calcari selciferi lombardi” formation of the sedimentary series of the Southern Alps. Pietra di Angera is a chemical sedimentary rock (dolostone); Pietra di Malnate is a clastic sedimentary rock, also known in Milan as “Molera”. Finally, the stones coming from “Calcari selciferi lombardi” are chemical sedimentary rocks, called Pietra di Viggiù, di Saltrio and di Brenno Useria, whose use spans from Roman times to the late 19th century, in coincidence with the diffusion of the artificial stone.
The stones quarried in Switzerland were significant for ornamental purposes (altars, balustrades, columns, staircases, etc.) in Milan and other Italian towns; the quarry area is located near Arzo, and three varieties were traded: Broccatello, purple with white spots; Rosso, red with white veins; Macchiavecchia, brecciated and multicoloured with red, grey and yellow.
