Gussago to Cazzago San Martino
Type: --
Duration: --
Places of interest: --
Download a PDF version
As we leave the city of Brescia and travel in a north westerly direction, we come to the town of Gussago, originally an Ancient Roman rural municipality. The Parish Church of Santa Maria Vecchia, also known as l'antica Piè del Dosso was founded in much later times. The pulpit, known as "Pulpito di Mavioranus" dates from the Longobard period. Its exquisite bas-relief panel dating from the VIII century clearly proves that this ancient church was an important place of worship during Longobard times.
Rodengo Saiano with its Olivetan Abbey dedicated to St. Nicholas is within easy reach. Founded in the X Century, its cloister with compound pillars dates from the late 16th century. It houses a smaller rustic cloister dating from the 15th century, a refectory and a large gallery that holds masterpieces of the finest artists of the Brescian school. XVI and XVII century art is particularly well represented.
The hilltop town of Ome, abounding with natural springs, overlooks the residential area and is home to the Sanctuary of the Madonna dell'Avello, whose apse and bell tower probably date from the XI century. Not to be missed is the Maglio Averoldi. This forge built in the 15th century is now a living museum that offers the public an opportunity to study at close hand the history and craft of blacksmithing.
It's well worth stopping off at Monticelli Brusati to take a look at the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Rosa (XIV century) and admire the works of Colossali and Paglia, as well as some impressive 15th century frescoes.
Set in the heart of the countryside, Castello Fassati in Passirano is the best preserved fortress in Franciacorta. This fine example of a medieval castle has two semi-circular corner turrets and is surrounded by stone-built Ghibelline crenellated ramparts. It was most likely built in the X century as a defence against Hungarian invasions. Only part of the watchtower survives which in the 18th century housed an astronomical telescope.
The Castello di Bornato, also known as Villa Orlando, occupies a prime location boasting panoramic views across Cazzago San Martino and beyond. A Roman fort lies at the centre of this citadel, around which a battlement was built in Medieval times which in 1275 was augmented with a crenellated parapet with turrets and buttresses, a moat and drawbridge. A renaissance palace was built inside the medieval castle in the 16th century and frescoes dating from the 18th century can be seen in some of its rooms. Parts of the Castle are open to visitors.
Rovato to Corte Franca
Type: --
Duration: --
Places of interest: --
Download a PDF version
The Convento dell'Annunciata (1449-1503) stands proud on Mount Orfano (451 metres), an ancient cobbled pathway will lead you to it in just a few minutes. The convent houses an impressive art collection including a fresco depicting the Annunciation, by Gerolamo Romanino (1485-1566), a leading artist of the Brescian School of the 16th century. The bas-reliefs that embellish the capitals along the colonnade in the flawlessly geometric cloister are well worth a good look.
Rovato is famed for its centuries-old livestock market and meat dishes such as manzo all'olio and tripe. Piazza Cavour with its semi-circular portico designed by the architect Rodolfo Vantini in about 1840 forms the boundary to the town's historical centre. The ruins of a Venetian-walled castle can be seen in the town's residential area situated high on the hill. One of the castle's sturdy bastions houses the Cappella del Sacro Cuore. Built in the early 1900's, the chapel is a rare example of a Liberty style religious building.
Coccaglio was the site of an Ancient Roman military camp. A medieval castle was built above its ruins, which can still be seen today. Only parts of the town's ramparts exist today, but inside the walls one can get a feeling for the layout of this ancient city as one strolls along its alleys. The small medieval church of St. Peter that houses 15th and 16th century frescoes is situated on the road at the foot of the hill leading to the little town of Cologne, home in Roman times to a farming community.
Erbusco is one of the most important centres for the production of Franciacorta wines. It became in the 15th century the holiday resort for both the local and Milanese nobility. Its landscape is dotted with many patrician villas, such as Villa Lechi (XVI-XVII centuries), noteworthy for its Palladian style grandeur. The old town is well preserved. The parish church of Santa Maria Assunta dating from the XII century was built within the castle walls, its romanesque apse remaining intact. The church was later enlarged in the 15th century.
The Monastery of San Pietro in Lamosa, based on the French model provided by the Benedictine monastery in Cluny in Burgundy, played a major role in the history of Provaglio d'Iseo. Founded in the XI century, it was the prime mover in the area's social, economic and agricultural regeneration, playing a decisive role in the drainage of wetlands and subsequent cultivation of the land. The monastery church houses many frescoes, some of which show the influence of artists such as Gambara, Foppa and Romanino. To one side the church opens onto an arcaded and cloistered quadrangle with a central well.
The Monastery is an excellent departure point for excursions to Torbiere del Sebino lying below, declared a Nature Reserve in 1983. This nature haven covers an area of some 360 hectares that abound with freshwater pools and wetland flora that began to occur naturally at the end of the '700s up until the mid '900s after the extraction of peat used for fuel.
Going down towards the Lake one arrives at Iseo. The historical centre of the town dates from the Middle Ages and is home to the XI century Castello Oldofredi and the parish church of Sant'Andrea, founded in the V century and rebuilt in the XII century, that still conserves a romanesque bell tower. In the XIV century it was richly decorated with frescoes by Angelo Inganni and it displays an Archangel Michael by Francesco Hayez. The Town Hall built by Vantini in 1830 fronts onto the town's main square.
Back on the Strada del Franciacorta itinerary and there is an opportunity to discover Corte Franca. Many of Brescia's important aristocratic landowners built their holiday villas here in the 18th century, some of which are today top ranking cellars. Palazzo Torri, now a private house, is a stone's throw from Nigoline. This XVII century palazzo is open to the public and boasts rooms that preserve their original 17th century decor. Paolina Torri Calegari held society gatherings here in the company of Giosuè Carducci, Antonio Fogazzaro, Franz von Lembach, Giuseppe Zanardelli and Bishop Bonomelli.
Adro to Lake Iseo
Type: --
Duration: --
Places of interest: --
Download a PDF version
Inside the sanctuary of the Madonna della Neve at Adro is the interesting, small museum of silk and linen. The tall Ghibelline and crenellated tower that dominates this little town's skyline and the town's hillside castle, of which only vestiges of its drawbridge and tower survive, served as a defence against invaders. Lively society gatherings took place in the 17th century Palazzo Bargnani, now the Town Hall, presided over by Ermellina Maselli, a member of the Dandolo family. The picture gallery holds many portraits, including a very well known work by Giacomo Cerruti, known as Pitocchetto.
Further along on the road that snakes towards the lake we arrive at Capriolo, a typical little medieval town, perched on one of Franciacorta's highest peaks. Its castle was erected in the X century as the town's defence against invaders, and later became a cloistered convent at the end of the 17th century. The parish church dating from the 16th century is dedicated to Saint George and houses a fine painting by Girolamo Romanino depicting the Resurrection.
Paratico lies at mouth of the River Oglio and Lake Iseo in the far west of Franciacorta. The ruins of Lantieri Castle, most probably erected in the XIII century, are an indication of the town's great strategic importance. Dante Alighieri is reputed to have stayed in the castle, the landscape inspiring some of the stanzas in Purgatory of his Divine Comedy. The old fishing village of Clusane d'Iseo lying on the Brescian bank of the River Oglio is known in particular for two traditions: the gastronomic delicacy, oven-baked tench served with polenta, and the surviving craft of artisan boat building. Here they build Naècc, nimble fishing boats whose structure and flat base means that fishermen can row whilst standing (like Venetian gondoliers) that date from the period when the Serenissima republic of Venice was in power. The imposing Castello del Carmagnola occupies a prime hillside location, it was given to Francesco Bussone, Count Carmagnola, by the city of Venice in 1429 in exchange for services rendered to the Republic. Alessandro Manzoni dedicated a tragedy, written in 1820, to this famous condottiere.
