Cult

ure and
B r e s c i a : all of I t aly in one cit y.

art
Regione Lombardia
Turismo
 Cult
This guide is dedicated to the
surprises which arrive when we

ure and
come face to face with beauty.
B r e s c i a : all of I t aly in one cit y.
Beauty can be found in the works of art on

art
display in the museums of Brescia, in its
architecture, piazzas, churches and castles,
the Roman remains and archaeological sites
of the city and surrounding areas.
The guide’s objective is to accompany the
tourist in experiencing the emotions which
come from this encounter with extraordinary
beauty.

Alessio Merigo
President, Bresciatourism
1
Brescia is strategically located a short distance from Milan and
Venice and at the intersection of the great European corridors
connecting France to Austria (from west to east) and Germany and
Central Europe to Rome (from north to south).

BY CAR:
From Torino and Milan, highway
A4, Brescia Centro exit. Alternate
route: from Torino, highway A21.
From Venice or Verona, highway
A4 in the direction of Milan, Brescia
Centro exit.
From Bologna, Florence or Rome,
highway A1 to Modena, highway
A22 to Verona, highway A4 to
Brescia Centro.
From Genoa and Liguria, highway
A7 to Tortona, highway A21 to
Brescia.
www.autobrennero.it
www.autostrade.it
BY AIR: BY TRAIN:
Verona - Villafranca Brennero-Modena Line
Valerio Catullo Airport (50 km) Milan-Venice Line
www.aeroportoverona.it
Montichiari (Province of Brescia) www.trenitalia.it
Gabriele D’Annunzio Airport (15 km)
wwww.aeroportobrescia.it
Bergamo, Orio al Serio Airport (80 km)
www.sacbo.it
Milan, Linate and Malpensa Airports
(100 km)
www.sea-aeroportimilano.it
Venice, Marco Polo Airport (100 km)
 Easy to reach Brescia is a halfway point in a circuit of cities of art such as Verona,
Trento, Bergamo, Milan, Mantua and Cremona. Brescia and its lakes
by highway, are, therefore, the perfect jumping-off spot for visiting these cities,
rail or air shopping or going to concerts.
Its geographic location and scenery, along with its historic, artistic and
cultural treasures, food and wine, and events and facilities, make the
Province of Brescia a perfect tourist destination.

Monaco
di Baviera

MALPENSA ORIO

Bergamo Venezia
Torino
Milano Brescia
Verona
MONTICHIARI
LINATE

Cremona Mantova

Bologna
Modena
Roma
4
 Brescia, a
fantastic
surprise
In Brescia and its surrounding Those who do not know Brescia will certainly be surprised and
enchanted by its beauty, by the richness of the paintings and sculptures
area, a unique experience on display in its museums and by the many outdoor works of art. The
awaits every tourist: the richness and diversity of various styles of architecture, often found side
discovery of masterpieces of by side, create a continuous exhibit of various artistic and historical
expressions. The churches, the ancient streets of the old town and the
Italian painting and sculpture extensive Roman area, which is the largest Roman archaeological site
in local museums, country in Northern Italy, offer continuous surprises.
churches, tiny monasteries Brescia is a modern and dynamic city rich with
and even hidden among the art treasures, a delight to enjoy.
Drink your coffee in the shadow of a medieval tower, taste local
trees of the forests. Just like specialities in a restaurant in the city centre, browse among Italian
that, Brescia surprises you with fashion shops, take a bike ride through the ancient Roman roads of
Brescia or the piazzas of the Renaissance, in splendid Venetian style.
unexpected revelations. Colours, the architecture and the rhythms of life come together in the
vibrancy of one of Italy’s most beautiful art cities.

5
 Even the surrounding
countryside offers unique
emotions. Brescia’s exceptional
natural setting includes the
Rock Engravings, which date
from pre-historical times and
have been declared a Unesco
world heritage site.
There is an Art Route from Brescia to Lake Garda, which leads
from the Santa Giulia Museum (in Brescia) to the Casa del Podestà
(Lonato) and the Vittoriale House Museum (Gardone Riviera). From
Brescia, take Via del Ferro e delle Miniere towards Valle Trompia, an
archaeological industry route which renders homage to the ancient
history of Brescia’s iron and steel industry, to the ancient melting
furnaces and the armaments tradition which arose in the Sixteenth
Century. A unique heritage of works of art, at times hidden in miniscule
countryside churches, is developed from the city towards Lake Iseo
and Valle Camonica.

Come to Brescia - come to enrich your mind with the discovery of our
artistic gems, and the exploration of the rich histories of our people
and their traditions which date back to the Celtic and Roman peoples,
with their own system of beliefs and religion, between tradition and
modernity. The experience is never ending when you enter the great
“open museum” of art, treasures, archaeological sites, historical
events and life lived to the full.

6
 Also known as the The museum is located in a monastery of Lombard origin and a
visit to this place of silence takes us to far away places, through the
City Museum, a sign of history, art and spirituality of Brescia. It was built by the Lombard
the affection in which it is King Desiderio and his wife Ansa in 753 and played an important
role as a catalyst of civic life, politics, economics and religion for
held by local citizens, the the entire province.
Santa Giulia Museum’s
exhibition space and stunning
location is truly unique.

7
 You will be amazed by precious archaeological remains, of
which the Domus area is the most significant expression.

8
 The Domus dell’Ortaglia (given this name because it is located
close to a garden where nuns would gather medicinal herbs) is
part of a Roman residential area located between the monumental
area and Brescia’s ancient city walls.
Mosaics and frescos decorate the various
rooms (places of daily living and public duties
as well as service area) and we are surprised
to learn that such homes already have such
modern comforts as wall and floor heating and
lead water pipes linked to urban aqueducts
(to receive fresh water) as well as delicate
fountains, bearing witness to the high social
and cultural level of their owners.
The excellent state of conservation and
proximity to the Santa Giulia Museum have
made it possible to create a homogenous
exhibition route, taking visitors from the
archaeological sectors of the museum to the
Domus area. The Roman itinerary continues
along via Musei with the imposing Theatre,
the Capitoline Temple and the Republican
Temple underneath it.
9

Santa Maria in Solario
In the Twelfth Century, this was the nuns’ place of
prayer. Today its frescoed walls and its ceiling, on which
a starry sky is painted, are the framework in which
another important symbol of Brescia is displayed: the
Desiderio cross.
10
The Lombard basilica of San Salvatore (one
of the most important examples of religious
art of the High Middle Ages and its crypt);
the Romanesque Oratorio di Santa Maria in
Solario (facing onto via Musei and built in
the middle of the Twelfth Century); the Nuns’
choir, a noble frescoed room from which the
enclosed Benedictine nuns of the Santa Giulia
monastery have for centuries participated
in religious celebrations whilst remaining
hidden from the view of the congregation; the
Sixteenth Century church of Santa Giulia and
its cloisters.
The Museum is also home to the
Winged Victory, a Greek bronze
from the Third Century BC,
made in Alexandria and taken
to Rome as war booty. It has
been adopted as the symbol of
Brescia.
The City Museum area is a must
of every visit to Brescia
There are many emotions
to experience in the
Santa Giulia Museum.

11
 Every year the Santa Giulia
Festival is held in Brescia
before summer begins, in
the ancient neighbourhood of
Cittadella vecchia.
This event lasts for an entire weekend and
renews the link between the city and the
Saint, whose remains were preserved in the
City Museum for a long time. The festival is a
time for convivial meetings and appointments.
Citizens, tourists and friends meet up to taste
typical products, purchase local crafts and
have fun reliving the jousts, tournaments and
events in costume.
12
The Santa Giulia Museum is part of a voyage through the
history, art and spirituality of Brescia which goes from pre-
historic times to the last century: there are more than 11,000
pieces on display, a “laboratory” museum in continuous
growth and development. Our ideal voyage continues to
Sirmione and Desenzano, where important remains of Roman
civilisation are found and luxurious villas where the Romans
liked to spent relaxing holidays.
We can also discover how peaceful it is to
enjoy an afternoon at the spa, walk amongst
the most ancient sites of our history, or
even observe precious Roman ruins while
swimming.
 In 1300, Emperor Henry
VII of Luxembourg wrote
“Brescia is not a city; it is a
kingdom”, a kingdom that
can be yours.

The historical and archaeological value of

Brescia’s ancient architecture is alone reason to
travel to our city; but we are only at the beginning. Your
cultural tour of Brescia includes splendidly preserved mosaics,
Roman homes, noble villas and much, much more. The beauty
of Brescia and its surrounding area has been celebrated by
visiting artists and writers. The first was the Latin poet Catullus, a
regular visitor to Sirmione, then Goethe on the Grand Tour, the English
Romantic poets during their study trips and Italian men of letters such
as D’Annunzio, Pascoli, Carducci and Fogazzaro.

13
 A short distance beyond the remains of Roman
Brescia, looking west, a large dome dominates

The 3 piazzas
Brescia’s important history is typified by a richness
of styles and cultures; piazza Paolo VI and the three
buildings which make it immediately recognisable are harmonious integration of various different architectural styles there
the most striking example.
14
The third highest dome in Italy surmounts the New Cathedral which
dominates Piazza Paolo VI, one of Brescia’s three famous piazzas,
each with its own distinctive architectural style. The New Cathedral
was built between the Seventeenth Century and 1825; the Old
Cathedral, with its circular design, is a rare example of Romanesque
architecture of the Eleventh Century. A few metres away stands
the Medieval Broletto Palace, topped by the Torre del Popolo. Other
symbolic locations and obligatory stops for every visitor are Piazza
della Loggia with the Venetian style Town Hall and Piazza della Vittoria,
austere and rigorous and rationalist, enlivened today by colourful
multi-ethnic market stalls. In the old town of Brescia, as well as the
is also a continuous exchange and cultural contamination between
people of different nationalities and social backgrounds. It is enough
to think that the area of corso Zanardelli, the elegant area dedicated
to boutique shopping.
 Mount Cidneo rises right in the centre of Brescia,
on the north side of the city. An ancient vineyard
demonstrates the strong link which exists between
modernity and agricultural tradition. The vineyard
beneath the Castle is the largest urban vineyard in the
world, active within a city centre. The wine produced
there is Pusterla Bianco, from invernenga grapes.

Brescia Castle

During the Middle Ages, Brescia castle, strategically built along the top of mount Cidneo
(right at the urban centre) defended the city’s inhabitants from invasions and sieges. Since
its restoration it has become the site for romantic walks to enjoy its panorama over the city
and a lively location for cultural events. The Castle is home to the precious Luigi Marzoli Arms
Museum and the Risorgimento Museum.
15
 The Santa Giulia Museum - City Museum is an
archaeological site of national importance and
hosts modern internationa art exhibits.

Art on display
The museum is also the main venue of a programme of exhibits Tosio Martinengo
Museum and Great of masters of modern painting such as Monet, Van Gogh, Turner, Art Gallery
Exhibitions Mondrian and others. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come every The masterpieces of
The Santa Giulia Brescian painters, from the
year from Italy and abroad to visit these exhibits, whose success has
Museum is very unique Thirteenth Century to Ceruti,
due to the richness made Brescia a privileged destination of cultural tourism. are on view at the Tosio
and the diversity of Martinengo art gallery.
the exhibits on offer. In the nearby Tosio Martinengo Art Gallery, connected by a cultural
The exhibition rooms red thread to the Santa Giulia museum, are on display the works of
of the museum host
painters such as Titian, Raphäel and Dürer in a (successful) attempt
the “Splendour of
Art” cycle of exhibits to create a constant dialogue between the art of the Fifteenth and
dedicated to absolute Sixteenth Centuries, the original interpretation of great masters of the
masters of modern and painting of Brescia such as Foppa, Moretto, Romanino, Savoldo and
contemporary art. the works of masters of various different periods and styles such as
Lotto, Ceruti, Celesti and others. The visitor is invited to compare and
contrast.

There is also space for photography: the world’s top photographers

participate in the international Biennal of Photography, organised in
show rooms, museums and courtyards of palaces in the old town.

16
The painters of Brescia: Art in Brescia is not
just “imported”. As a matter of fact many artists
from Brescia created masterpieces for the city.

In chronological order one starts from

Vincenzo Foppa, master of the Lombardy
Renaissance and a contemporary of Bramante
and Leonardo Da Vinci, (“colleagues” to whom
he can justly be compared) and founder of a
school of a realism which inspired Caravaggio.
Gerolamo Savoldo was influenced by
Venetian painting during the years he spent in
Venice, which was a cradle of art at that time.
Alessandro Bonvicino, known as il Moretto
was a fine portraitist; the attention to detail
and the harmony of his compositions were
a result of his friendship with Titian and the
influence he exercised on his professional
formation.
Gerolamo Romani, known as il Romanino,
an artist attentive to the narrative aspect
of his works, was a great master of the
fresco technique. In the Eighteenth Century,
Giacomo Ceruti, known as il Pitocchetto,
chose plebeians, beggars and the poor as
protagonists of his works thereby exploring
the courageous reality and intense results
which connect him conceptually with the
work of Foppa.
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 The Rock Engravings

In the middle of Valle Camonica, approximately one hour by car

from the city of Brescia, you can discover a cultural and historic
heritage of inestimable value: the Rock Engravings.

18
 Hundreds of millions of
engravings, carved by man
onto large smooth surfaces,
are kept inside a series of
national, regional and local
parks, specifically established
to protect, value and study this
precious discovery.
The Engravings date back to
the Seventh millennium BC For a long time the earth, the leaves, the shrubs and even the
and narrate the history of the mountains of Valle Camonica hid over 300,000 pre-historical figures,
now rediscovered through the contribution of local scholars and
ancient Camuni people, who universities from around the world. The parks developed from this find
lived in this vast area; they and they are open to visitors of all kinds and all ages. For scientists,
document an ancient history this is an area of exceptional interest as, despite the fact that the
engravings are found not only in Valle Camonica but also in other
relatively unknown to us areas in the Alps, there is nowhere else in Europe where there are
through the motifs of religion, so many of them and where they cover such an extensive period of
time: 10,000 years. Research and study work continue using modern
home, scenes of daily life exploration techniques, supported by the contribution of the Centro
and hunting. Camuno di Studi Preistorici.

For students and groups of young explorers, these parks are a

pleasurable surprise allowing participation in excursions where they
learn to discover the rocks and to read their symbols, entering into a
unique panorama of great intensity. As a matter of fact, it is thought
that this area was identified by prehistoric priests as a symbolic place
of mysticism.
You can visit the Engravings with a professional guide or just walk
freely, following easy routes which are well signposted throughout the
great forests which cover Valle Camonica.
Religion, history, mystery, and the magical mountain atmosphere
combine to offer the visitor new, unique and unforgettable emotions.

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 Gabriele D’Annunzio was
born in 1863 and died
in Gardone Riviera in
1938. He was a highly
acclaimed poet and is
remembered also for his
adventurous lifestyle and
his libertine habits.

The Vittoriale
House Museum
From 1921 to 1938 the Italian poet and war hero Gabriele D’Annunzio transformed
the Eighteenth Century Villa Cargnacco, in Gardone Riviera on the shores of Lake
Garda, into a self-celebratory museum.
The villa displays many objects and various souvenirs of the famous
poet. The Vittoriale House Museum is the most visited museum in
Lombardy and this is not surprising when one considers the unique
nature of this villa which, conserved exactly as the poet wished,
reflects his unusual and passionate personality. As D’Annunzio himself
wrote “everything must be a part of an inimitable life”. Visit the water
gardens, the mausoleum, the reconstruction of the Puglia ship, the
MAS anti-submarine motorboat. The villa itself contains various works
of art and ancient books, but these are not the only attractions of
Villa Vittoriale. An important series of events, from opera, to classical
music to dance, takes place in the amphitheatre of the garden in the
summer months. What better occasion could there be to spend an
evening immersed in art, with the blue horizon of Lake Garda in the
background?
20
21
 Casa
del Podestà
The Casa del Podestà is located in Lonato, an ancient municipality
just a few minutes from Desenzano. It was built in the middle of the
Fifteenth Century as the representative offices of Venice, the city
which dominated much of northern Italy and which was responsible
for government in these regions for more than 350 years, leaving
indelible signs of its domination also in the major piazzas of Brescia.
In 1906, this building was purchased at public auction by a local
politician, Ugo Da Como, who had it restored to give it back its
ancient dignity and make it into both a museum and a private home,
according to a fashion which was very widespread in the Nineteenth
and Twentieth Centuries. Inside the complex there is a splendid
library, a true paradise for scholars and a delight for visitors. Among
paintings, ancient furniture and objects of value, you can also admire
the smallest book in the world. The house is located in the old town
of Lonato and today is part of a monumental complex of extraordinary
beauty, dominated by the majestic Rocca.

The Lonato castle, commonly know as the Rocca, sits atop a hill
overlooking nearby Lake Garda. The Rocca is one of the best preserved
and most imposing fortifications of all of Lombardy, with an irregular
design measuring 180 metres in length and on average 45 metres
in width.
A gate and a drawbridge introduce a curious discovery: inside the
Captain’s House (in the Rocca) you will find a collection of stuffed
birds, the Civic Ornithological Museum of Lonato. The specimens are
well preserved, despite being more than a century old. They were
prepared by a renowned Italian taxidermist, Marco Gianese. In the
summer, the Rocca is home to many cultural events, including a
medieval dinner, with acrobats, fire eaters and actors in costume.
22
Discover the churches in Valle Camonica.
Our voyage leads us to the discovery of miniscule Brescian art
treasures, found in country churches which were once the framework
of the development of the delicate mountain economy. We are far from
the echoes of mass tourism and the visitor will be surprised by the
beauty of these places which reveal a deep, simple and sincere faith.
We can follow masterpieces of painting starting from the sanctuary
of Santa Maria della Neve (Our Lady of the Snow), in Pisogne, with its
extraordinary series of frescoes of the Passion of Christ completed in
1530 by il Romanino, and arrive at the church of Santa Maria Assunta
in Esine, one of the most delightful examples of local painting. We
can follow the ancient art of wood sculpture (very widespread in our
mountains), starting from the exquisite Via Crucis sanctuary in Cerveno,
with fourteen stations of the cross displaying 198 statues carved in the
middle of the Eighteenth Century, or visit the wooden pulpit at Pieve di
Santa Maria Nascente, in Edolo, in the shadow of the highest church
tower of the entire Valle Camonica. Every church, even the smallest
chapel, is a tiny museum, an aspect of our long history. Don’t forget to
visit the enchanting village of Bienno, to admire the ancient mills and
moulds, the towers and the frescoes in S.M. Annunciata Church.

There is another art and history itinerary. The Romanico sul Garda
Freedom
to explore
project takes us to visit Medieval parishes, such as the church of
Sant’Andrea a Maderno, one of the most important Romanesque
churches of the area or the church of San Pietro in Mavino, in Sirmione
(both date from the Twelfth Century).

Discover art nouveau on Lake Garda

The area which goes from Salò to Gargnano is home to some splendid
art nouveau villas. Some of these are fine restaurants and hotels
today where you can dine overlooking the lake or just enjoy the sun
in one of the abundant gardens, observing squirrels playing on the
grass. Other villas today function as art galleries, flower markets or
they host exhibits of local wines, gastronomy and local traditions. In
the summer, it is quite delightful to visit the lake by boat.

23
 San Pietro in Lamosa
monastery
Today it is possible to
visit the monastery and
its frescoes which date
from 1300 to 1500.
The panoramic view
of the surrounding
vineyards make this
place one of the most
fascinating corners of
the Franciacorta area.

Aldo Cibaldi Gallery of Children’s Art

Also known as PInAC, this is a children’s art gallery. The freedom and
expression of the children is found in many examples of artworks
on display in Rezzato, not far from Brescia, where it is possible to
appreciate and study the universal language of art which spiritually
unites children of all cultures. This is the only art gallery of its kind
in Europe which guarantees creative expression and an approach
to art specifically tailored to children and any adults who may be
interested.

Brescia is also home to
celebrated and prestigious
industries.
24
Flos is a market leader in the field of light design, working with top
international artists such as Achille Castiglioni and Philippe Starck.
The Pietro Beretta gun factory is one of the most ancient firms of its
kind in the world and has been in business since 1400. In the field
of fashion, the tie designer Luca Roda is one of the most successful
examples of made in Italy and made in Brescia.
 Info, hotel, booking:
GRAPHIC DESIGN:
CLERICI & ASSOCIATI, BRESCIA

PICTURES:
www.bresciatourism.it
LONATI
PINI
RAPUZZI
REPORTER

THANKS TO:
ADAMELLO SKI, AGROITTICA CALVISANO, BARONE PIZZINI -
RISTORANTE S. GIULIA, BOGLIACO GOLF, BRESCIAMUSEI, CENTRO
COMMERCIALE LE PORTE FRANCHE, COMUNE DI BAGOLINO, COMUNE
DI BRESCIA - UFFICIO TURISMO, CONSORZIO TUTELA FRANCIACORTA,
CONSORZIO OLIO DOP DEI LAGHI LOMBARDI, CONSORZIO BOTTICINO
DOC, CONSORZIO OPERATORI TURISTICI LAGO DI IDRO, CONSORZIO
PRO LOCO CAMUNO-SABINE, DISTILLERIE FRANCIACORTA,
FESTIVAL PIANISTICO INT. A.B. MICHELANGELI, FONDAZIONE ANDRÉ
HELLER, FONDAZIONE IL VITTORIALE DEGLI ITALIANI, FONDAZIONE
UGO DA COMO, FRANCIACORTA OUTLET VILLAGE, GARDAGOLF,
LA PAMPA - AGRITURISMO, MUSEO MILLE MIGLIA, PINACOTECA INT.
DELL’ETÁ EVOLUTIVA, PINACOTECA PALAZZO MARTINENGO, PALAZZO
ARZAGA, RISTORANTE CASCINA CAPUZZA, RISTORANTE ESPLANADE,
RISTORANTE IL VOLTO, RISTORANTE LE DUE COLOMBE, RUGBY
CALVISANO, STRADE DEI VINI S.MARTINO D/B, TEATRO GRANDE, TENDER
SURF, TERME DI ANGOLO, TERME DI BOARIO, TERME DI SIRMIONE -
AQUARIA, VILLA FELTRINELLI

PRINTING:
COM&PRINT, BRESCIA
 Bre
scia
W i s n u l l a f a c i e s t i s c i t e t i p i s d o l o r.

città ENIT
Agenzia Nazionale
del Turismo

Regione Lombardia
Turismo

Provincia di Brescia

Comune di Brescia