Art Cities Brescia

Brescia and its territory offer an extraordinary variety of monuments, artworks and different types of landscapes.

 Castle

The castle is one of the most fascinating fortified buildings in , where we can still admire the traces of different dominations. The influence of Visconti is reflected in the architecture of the central tower, the imposing crenel- lated walls and the tower; at the same time, the impressive bastions and the majestic entrance with its drawbridge show the Serenissima magnificence, which ruled the city for more than four centuries.

Inside the castle you will be amazed by its mysterious ambiance and its armour collections. The castle is full of unexpected paths and hidden rooms. The encircling towers and the Strada del soccorso, an escape route of Viscontean age, have participated in the numerous sieges which the city has known. Following the paths, you can also discover the castle’s balanced eclecticism; one of the city’s oldest and most prized vineyards, on a slope of the hill, coexists naturally with Roman remains, such as a group of olive oil tanks, medieval bastions and a 1909 railway locomotive, the Prigioniera del Falco d’Italia.

 Santa Giulia Museum and monastery

Santa Giulia Museum is one of the most prestigious in Europe. It is the Benedictine monastery of Saint Salvatore – Saint Giulia, founded in 753 AD by the Lombard King Desiderio. After the Napoleonic suppression, it was purchased by the Municipality, which ushered in the of Santa Giulia the Christian Era Museum. The gradual process of discovery and cultural building recovery have opened to the public the sections of the new Museum which ranges from the Prehistoric and the Romanesque eras to the Applied Arts.

Mantua

Mantua, situated in , was declared by UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site. Mantua is a unique gem: during the Gonzaga epoch it acted as a major centre for the diffusion of Renaissance trends and values, as well as an important literary and musical capital. It is also the birthplace of the Latin poet Virgilio and every year the city hosts Festivaletteratura, a unique literary event. Mantua also originated the melodrama, from Claudio Monteverdi to Giuseppe Verdi, who chose it as the setting for Rigoletto. The theatres represent another magnificent part of the city: the wonderful Bibiena Theatre served as a honorable frame for young Mozart’s talent, who performed here in 1770.

 The Ducal Palace

The largest court in Europe: 34,000 mq, 300 rooms, 15 corridors and indoor gardens, 70 apartments. It was the royal residence of the noble family of Gonzaga, who ruled Mantua from the coup d’état on August 16, 1328. The richest and famous art collections known in Europe at that time were stored in the palace, and you can still admire them.

 The Bridal Chamber

The Bridal chamber, sometimes known as the Camera picta ("painted chamber"), is a room frescoed with illusionistic paintings by Andrea Mantegna in the Ducal Palace. It was painted between 1465 and 1474 and commissioned by Ludovico III Gonzaga. It is notable for the use of trompe l'oeil details. In the ‘Court scene’ he used a mysterious oily tempera dry laid out on the surface. The east and south walls followed, with the traditional fresco technique representing heavy curtains. Finally the ‘Meeting scene’ on the west wall was painted in very small bits which confirms an almost ten-year period of work on that part of the chamber.

 Te Palace

Te Palace is one of the most beautiful dwelling place located in Italy. It perfectly reflects a difficult time in the history of Art: the passage from the splendour of the Renaissance to the exuberance of Mannerism. Villa of idleness and leisure projected for Federico II Gonzaga between 1525 and 1535 by Giulio Romano, a pupil of Raphael. This dwelling was built for the Lord’s necessities creating a private space. Outside the huge palace; in the garden, an exclusive area: the apartment called La Grotta. These residences increasingly became smaller, as if it was the game of Chinese boxes, it is one of the amazing thing of this house which suggests that Mannerism was born in this town. Federico II wanted to transform the place where the old stables of the Gonzaga Family were located in a villa for his lavish parties and for his secret encounters with his lover, Isabella Boschetti.

 The astronomical clock

In Piazza delle Erbe, was built, in 1473, the Clock Tower of the Palazzo della Ragione. In the same year Bartolomeo Manfredi, mathematician and astronomer, son of John Clock, who learned the art in the workshop of his father, ended the beautiful astronomical clock, the first operating mechanically, that decorates it. The clock marked the hours, moon phases, the equator, planets, zodiacal signs. Very popular, it determined the time of sowing, trips, departures, nuptials.

 Sant’ Andrea Church

The basilica was begun at the time of the Gonzaga, following the project of Leon Battista Alberti in 1472, the year of his death, by Luca Fancelli, who continued the work until 1490. It was completed in the eighteenth century by who built the dome . In the religious history of Mantua, the of Saint Andrea plays an important role: the civil, artistic and economic development and consolidation of the city can be considered simultaneous with its growing importance as a religious center.

 D’Arco Palace

The D’Arco Palace was commissioned by the Count Gherardo D’Arco. The project of Antonio Colonna and Paolo Pozzo consists of several buildings arranged around a closed hexahedron court. During the visit, you can admire the richly furnished rooms located on the main floor and the collection of paintings ranging from the 15th to the 18th century. Moreover, you can admire the collection of 6,000 volumes including incunabula and manuscripts and 3,000 prints that enrich the valuable library of the palace.

 Cruise on Lake Superiore

Mantua is a city on the water. Already in 1729 Montesquieu defined this town as a “second Venice”. This impression is given by its medieval canal, Rio, which runs through the city. The most beautiful part is Lago Superiore. Being included in the reserve of the Mincio valleys, the lake is navigable. From July to August, Lago Superiore looks like a Chinese postcard because of the lotus blooming. For this reason, the lotus became the second symbol of the city after Virgil.

Verona

 Piazza delle Erbe

Piazza delle Erbe is the oldest square in , located at the site of the ancient Roman forum. You can find the Palazzo del Mercato Vecchio on the south side. Located to the southwest side, Palazzo Maffei is a baroque palace decorated with several statues of Greek gods. Colonna di San Marco is situated in front of Palazzo Maffei. It is a white marble column topped by a lion of St. Mark, the symbol of the Republic of Venice.

 Juliet’s House

The Juliet’s House was built by the noble family Dal Cappello near Piazza delle Erbe. It is a museum in Verona since 1905. It is in a 12th century stately dwelling, where the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet was represented in 1597 and where the famous balcony was reconstituted. The museum was enriched progressively with sixteenth-century and seventeenth century furniture, ceramics of the Renaissance, paintings and engravings telling the story of Romeo and Juliet, with period costumes of the film Romeo and Juliet directed in 1968 by Franco Zeffirelli.

Bergamo

 The Upper Town and The Lower Town

The city of Bergamo is divided into two parts: the Upper Town, the most high and with a historical center surrounded by walls, and the Lower Town, the most modern.

 The Fortress

The Fortress is located in the upper part of the city on the hill of St. Euphemia which dominates, to the south, the lower town and the surrounding plains, while to the north the Orobie hills. The Venetian walls of Bergamo is an impressive architectural building dating back to the sixteenth century, built by the Republic of Venice in 1561 and completed in 1588.

 Donizetti Theatre and Donizetti Museum

Donizetti Theatre, opened in the eighteenth century, has always stood out for opera productions whose flagship is now the Bergamo Music Festival Gaetano Donizetti. In memory of the famous composer were established numerous trails to visit the House and the Donizetti Museum which houses the manuscripts, memorabilia and objects relevant to Donizetti.

Bologna

Bologna hosts the most Ancient university in Europe and it still remains today one of the most important University in Italy, making of Bologna a very famous cultural centre. is known for its towers and its long arcades.

 The colonnades

The colonnades of Bologna, over 38 km in the historic centre and candidates to become Unesco world heritage, make the city of Bologna unique. Play of lights and shadows, deep architectural perspectives, columns and capitals always give different images of an urban setting fascinating and unusual.

 Maggiore Square and San Petronio Church

The gothic and imposing San Petronio Church, in Piazza Maggiore, was built between 1390 and 1659. It has a portal decorated with bas reliefs by Jacopo della Quercia, while inside there are some remarkably frescoed chapels. In the left aisle, on the floor, you can see the largest sundial in the world, designed by the mathematician Giovanni Domenico Cassini and built in 1655.

The Fountain of Neptune is a monumental civic fountain located in the eponymous square, Piazza del Nettuno, next to Piazza Maggiore. Its bronze figure of Neptune, extending his reach in a lordly gesture of stilling and controlling the waters, is an early work by Giambologna, completed about 1567. Due to the size of the statue, the inhabitants familiarly call it "the Giant"

 Palazzo d’Accursio e Palazzo Podestà

Overlooking Piazza Maggiore, there are the three most important Palaces of the city: the Palazzo Comunale (XIII-XV century), the Palazzo del Podestà (remodeled in 1485) and the thirteenth-century (whose current appearance is due to the restoration in 1905). Most of the buildings date back to the period when Bologna was incorporated in the State of the Church between the XVI and the XVIII centuries and they belonged to the senatorial families who ruled Bologna at that time.

 The shrine of San Luca

The shrine of San Luca, on the Guardia Hill, is one of the symbols of Bologna. The more than 600 arches of the portico, unique in the world for its length of almost four kilometers, link the city to the sanctuary.

 Asinelli Tower and Garisenda Tower

The two towers, traditional symbol of Bologna, are strategically located at the entry point to the city. The Asinelli tower, 97.20 m high, was built between 1109-19 by the namesake family, and passed under the City propriety in the next century. The nearby Garisenda Tower, contemporary with the previous one, differs visually for the lower height of only 47 meters.

Pavia

On the Ticino River, in the south of , has pre - roman origins and represents an important stop on the Via Francigena, pilgrimage route to Rome. It hosted for about a year the scientist Albert Einstein. The Covered Bridge (also known as the Old Bridge), an ancient and characteristic Roman bridge on Ticino river, connects the historic city center with the picturesque district of Borgo Ticino. It has five arches and a small religious chapel in the middle. The Cathedral of Pavia is the most imposing church of Pavia and an important Renaissance building. The best Renaissance architects, such as Bramante, Leonardo da Vinci, Amadeo and Francesco di Giorgio Martini worked for the realization of the projects.

The of Pavia was built in 1360 by Galeazzo II Visconti. The Visconti’s also wanted to design a grand hunting park, which originally stretched for about ten kilometers to the Certosa di Pavia; now part of the park is still there, but no longer connected to the castle, and called Park Vernavola. Inside you can find a large courtyard, with a portico supported by stone columns. In this space are held numerous events and concerts. Currently the Castle is the seat of the Civic Museums composed by several themed rooms.

 Certosa di Pavia

The Certosa di Pavia is located near the city. Today it is considered one of the most visited monuments in the and Italy. The church has a Latin cross plan divided into three naves. Inside you can find the tomb of the founder, and the memorial dedicated to Ludovico il Moro and his wife Beatrice d'Este.

Parma

Former capital of the Duchy of and Piacenza (1545-1859), the city of Parma is a University seat from the XI century and since 2002 is seat of the European Food Safety Authority. In 2014 was ranked by the British newspaper The Telegraph in the fourth place as the best place in the world for quality of life.

 Parma Cathedral

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is the most important place of Catholic worship in Parma. Located in the Cathedral Square, next to the Baptistery and the Bishop's Palace, the cathedral was consecrated in 1106 by Pasquale II. In 1178 the wide hut shaped façade was completed and the whole building with three naves was revised and completed by Benedetto Antelami. The bell tower was rebuilt by Obizzo Sanvitale between 1284 and 1291. From the XV century side chapels were added. It preserves several frescoes of considerable interest.

 Ducal Park and Garden Palace

The Garden Palace, also called the Ducal Palace of the Garden, is a historic building which is located in Parma, in the Ducal Park, a green area of 208.700 square meters located in the city center. Currently it is expected to become the representative office of the European Safety Food Authority.

 Pilotta Palace

The Pilotta Palace is an extended complex of buildings located in the historical center of Parma. The name comes from the game of pelota, practiced by the Spanish soldiers in the courtyard of Guazzatoio. Inside the building: the National Archaeological Museum of Parma, the Palatine Library, the Bodoni Museum, the Farnese Theatre, and the National Gallery of Parma. Outside: the Museum Glauco Lombardi and the Monument to Giuseppe Verdi.

 The Royal Theatre

The Royal Theatre of Parma was created on the will of Napoleon wife, Duchess Maria Luigia of Habsburg-Lorraine, sent to rule the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla after the Congress of Vienna. The theater opened on May 16, 1829 with the Opera Zaira, by Vincenzo Bellini.

Turin

Turin is a town bounded by rivers and by Alpine valleys. From 1861 to 1865, Turin was the first Capital of the Kingdom of Italy. Nowadays, it is one of the most important university, artistic, touristic, cultural and scientific centre of the Country. In 2006 Turin hosted the XX Olimpic Winter Games. It is the hub of the Italian automotive industry, as well as an important centre of publishing, banking and insurance, telecommunications, film, food, design and sports.

and Cinema Museum

The Mole Antonelliana, the architectural symbol of Turin began in 1863 by Alessandro Antonelli, was originally conceived as a synagogue. In 1878, it was acquired by the City of Turin, while it was still under construction, to make it as a Monument of the National Unity. In 1961, in occasion of the centenary of the Italy Unification, a panoramic elevator has been inaugurated. Renovated in 1999, it allows to go up to the "temple" and to enjoy the extraordinary 360 degrees panorama from the balcony. Since 2000, it hosts the National Cinema Museum.

 Egyptian Museum

The Egyptian Museum of Turin is considered, for the value of its finds, the most important museum in the world after the one of Cairo. Based in the historic Palace of the Academy of Sciences, the Museum boasts about 30.000 pieces from the Paleolithic to the Coptic Period.

 Royal Palace and Royal Gardens

The is the first and the most important of the Savoy residences in Piemonte. It is located in the heart of the city, in the Piazzetta Reale close to the central Piazza Castello, from which the main streets of the historic centre branch out. The Royal Gardens, projected by the architect André Le Nôtre, extend largely behind the Royal Palace. Le Nôtre, already involved in the construction of the Versailles Palace under the Bourbons order, realised a garden which reflected the feature of the European noble gardens with water games and floral perspectives.

 Savoy Gallery

The Savoy Gallery is considered one of the most important art galleries in Italy, with over 180 years of history and more than 700 works by Italian and European artists produced from the ‘200 to the ‘900. The priceless works housed in the Savoy Gallery belong to the Italian Renaissance, the XVII and the XVIII centuries, and they are enriched by the Flemish and Dutch paintings.

 Madama Palace

Palazzo Madama and Casaforte of the Acaja is an architectural and historic building located in the central Castle Square. It is recognized as UNESCO World Heritage. It was erected by the Romans as a city gate, Porta Decumana. Firstly the building became a defensive system, then a Palace, symbol of the power of Turin until the XVI century, when the current Royal Palace became the seat of the Duke of Savoy. The Palace houses the Civic Museum of Ancient Art.

 Duomo e Sacra Sindone

The Metropolitan Cathedral of St. is the main place of the Catholic worship in Turin, located in the homonymous square. It is located in one of the most important historic points of Turin, near the archaeological area close to the ancient Roman Theatre. Inside the Turin Cathedral it is conserved the Holy Shroud, a linen sheet which is considered by the as the one used to wrap the body of Jesus into the sepulchre.

 Superga Church

The Superga Cathedral is placed on the homonymous hill. It was built on the will of the King Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy to thank the Virgin Mary, after having beaten in 1706 the French army besieging Turin. Inside the Cathedral are buried, on the will of Vittorio Amedeo III, many members of Savoy Dynasty.

 Automobile National Museum

The National Automobile Museum of Turin (MAUTO), now entitled to Giovanni Agnelli, it’s considered among the most important and oldest car museums in the world. The exhibition runs through three centuries of history and it exposes cars produced from the 1769 to the 1996. All the model displayed are authentic and signed by more than 80 different automotive brands.

Venice

Venice, universally known as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, is ranked, along with its lagoon , between Italian Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The city of Venice has been for more than a millennium the capital of the Republic of Venice and named for this reason the Serenissima, the Dominant and the Queen of the Adriatic sea. Since 1932, the city hosts the Venice International Film Festival , the annual festival during which it is given the Leone d’Oro Award, symbol of the event .

 San Marco Square and Cathedral

San Marco Square, the largest square in Venice, is one of the most important Italian Square, named worldwide “The drawing room of Europe” for its beauty and architectural integrity. Its main body has a trapezoidal shape and is 170 meters long.

The Saint Marco Cathedral is a unique monument due to the richness of its history, the majesty of its façade and interiors, beautiful lab in which great Italian and European artists operated for centuries. The Byzantine character that distinguishes it, appears especially in large mosaics that tell the stories of Saint Marco. The greatness of Venice has always been reflected in the enrichment of the Basilica: the Venetians have embellished it over the centuries bringing from the most remote places precious artifacts and works of art.

 Ducal Palace

A famous gothic masterpiece, the Ducal Palace is an impressive structure stratified with constructive and ornamental elements. It consists of three large buildings which put together the old constructions: the oldest part towards the Saint Marco lagoon; the Justice Palace looking to the square with the Hall of the Scrutiny; on the opposite, in Renaissance style, the Doge's Residence and many government offices. Since 1996, Palazzo Ducale is part of the system of the Civic Museums of Venice.

 Ponte dei Sospiri

The Ponte dei Sospiri is one of the most famous bridges in Venice and was built in the early XVII century on orders of the Doge Marino Grimani, whose em- blem is carved on it. This bridge connects with a double pass the Doge's Palace to the Prigioni Nuove, the first building in the world specifi- cally built to be a prison. It used to be a passage for the prisoners to go from the prisons to the offices of the State Inquisitors where they were judged.

 Ponte di Rialto

The Ponte di Rialto is one of the four bridges, along with the Accademia Bridge, the Scalzi Bridge and the Bridge of the Constitution, that cross the Grand Canal in Venice. The Rialto Bridge is the oldest and certainly the most famous of the four. The current stone bridge with a single arch, built by Andrea Da Ponte in collaboration with his nephew Antonio Contin, was completed in 1591 and over the years has become one of the symbols of the city .

 Venice Casinò

Ca' Vendramin Calergi is a Venetian palace overlooking the Grand Canal. Its construction began in 1481 and was finished in 1509. At the second floor, the building houses the Venice Casino, the oldest Casino in the world, founded in 1638 but hosted in Ca’ Vendramin only since 1946.

 Giudecca Island

The Giudecca Island is a set of eight islands connected to the south of the historic center of Venice, which faces onto the Giudecca canal. On the opposite tip of the island we can see the characteristic façade of the Casa dei Tre Oci , neo-Gothic palace facing the lagoon .

 Murano Island

Murano is a town located in the Venetian Lagoon, made up of seven islands and known throughout the world for centuries-old tradition of handmade Murano glass. The history of Murano Glass was born in 1291 when it ruled that the glassworks in Venice, probably already active before 1000, were transferred to Murano. The Rio dei Vetrai is a canal on the island of Murano that, on both sides, hosts most of the Murano glassworks. The Glass Museum , founded in 1861 in Murano collects a historical archive of the city of Venice enriched by precious pieces of Renaissance and ancient glass founded thanks to archeological excavations.

 Burano Island

Tourists in Burano remain intrigued by the many coloured houses that are reflected into the green waters of channels, by the calmness with which the elderly ladies embroider original Burano lace by their tombolo (or lace pillow). It seems to be in paradise: balconies with multi coloured flowers, fishermen who put up fresh fish from their traditional boats.