town, Piemonte ( Piedmont) region, northwestern Italy. It lies along the Sesia River, 31 miles (50 km) northwest of Novara. The town is rich in art and churches, among which are San Gaudenzio (restored 1710), with a polyptych by the 16th-century painter Gaudenzio Ferrari, who left his most important works to the community, and Santa Maria delle Grazie (1487–1501), with frescoes by Ferrari. On the nearby Monte Sacro is a sanctuary consisting of the Church of the Assunta (1649) and 45 chapels, with about 1,000 statues and 6,000 frescoed figures (mostly by Ferrari). Varallo has an art school, gallery, and local museum. It is a summer resort with textile, paper, and food industries. Pop. (2006 est.) mun., 7,460.