Gallarate is a city and comune of Lombardy, northern Italy, in the Province of Varese. It has a population of some 51,700. It is the junction of railways to Varese, Laveno and Arona (for the Simplon). Some 10 kilometers to the west are the electric works of Vizzola, where 23,000 hp are derived from the river Ticino. Its territory is crossed by the river Arnetta, and belongs to the Ticino River National Park. The city in the first part of 19th century had a strong textile industry.