ART and CULTURE INDEX CITY OF ART . pag. 4 SANTA GIULIA CITY MUSEUM . pag. 6 The Monumental Complex of San Salvatore-Santa Giulia THE ROMAN AGE . pag. 8 DISCOVERING BRESCIA . pag. 10 Piazza del Foro and Capitolium (Capitolium temple) The Castle, Arms Museum and Risorgimento Museum Teatro Grande and the International Piano Festival Duomo Nuovo Duomo Vecchio Tosio Martinengo Art Gallery Diocesan Museum AROUND BRESCIA . pag. 14 Musil Pinac – Aldo Cibaldi International Children At Gallery Mazzucchelli Museums Mille Miglia Museum National Museum of Photography Marble Route LAKE GARDA . .. pag. 18 Vittoriale degli Italiani Rocca and Ugo Da Como House-Museum Isola del Garda Prehistorical pile-dwellings in the alps Catullus’ Grotto and Sirmione Castle Rome and the middle ages on the shores of the lake The places of the Republic of Salò Tower of St. Martino The paper valley CAMONICA VALLEY . pag. 22 Archeopark Cerveno Via Crucis Romanino route Adamello White War Museum TROMPIA VALLEY . pag. 26 Paul VI Collection of contemporary art Iron and Mine Route Sacred Art Route The forest narrates Other museums SABBIA VALLEY . pag. 30 The sacred and the profane Bagolino Carnival Rocca d’Anfo LAKE ISEO AND FRANCIACORTA . pag. 32 Monastery of San Pietro in Lamosa Rodengo Saiano Olivetan abbey Via Valeriana, between the Lake and the valley Ome forge BRESCIA PLAIN . pag. 34 Tiepolo in Verolanuova Padernello Castle PHOTO CREDITS: Thanks to: Assessorato al Turismo - Comune di Brescia, Archivio fotografico Musei Civici d’Arte e Storia, Fondazione Brescia Musei, Fondazione Pinac, Musei Mazzucchelli, Fondazione Ugo Da Como, Fondazione Il Vittoriale degli italiani, Centro camuno di studi preistorici, Bresciainvetrina, Mediateca del SIBCA di Valle Trompia. 4 ART AND CULTURE CITY OF ART rescia is an outstanding where even nature and landscape Italian art city. become expressions of pure Its complex history has artistic beauty. Bleft visible marks on urban Nearby Lakes Garda, Iseo, and architecture, the profile of Idro are ideal destinations palaces, and the shape of for cosmopolitan tourists churches. who appreciate their rich Visitors strolling around in cultural offering, enchanting the city centre will pass a landscapes, and efficient tourism Renaissance-style square, sip infrastructure. The valleys offer a coffee in the shadows of a innumerable opportunities medieval palace, enter into a to enjoy a summer or winter store and observe its vaulted holiday; they are the cradle ceiling and the exposed brick of our history, starting from walls, sit on a bench and scroll pure treasures such as the their iPads in front of a Baroque Rock Engravings (dating from church or in the heart of the Prehistory and declared World largest archaeological area in Heritage Site) to the Iron and northern Italy. Mine Route in Trompia Valley This multiplicity of styles reminds which explains the culture and you of the long history of Brescia. history of metalwork in the area. This is a proud, elegant city where Rural Brescia plain is also full art and culture have always held of surprises: even the smallest an important role. Exquisite village boasts paintings, noble works of art can be found in its palaces, and old farms. museums, art galleries, cultural This richness encourages foundations, and its numerous exploration: visitors will discover churches that testify to the city’s the multiple facets of the Brescia profound religious roots. You region, try different experiences, will admire sculptures, paintings, and enjoy a fun holiday which mosaics, statues, and modern will also be educational and will and contemporary installations raise awareness. everywhere. Lastly, the province of Brescia This harmony can be experienced hosts three UNESCO World also in the surrounding region, Heritage Sites. BRESCIA AND PROVINCE 5 SANTA GIULIA CITY MUSEUM 6 ART AND CULTURE n June 25, 2011 the Santa Giulia Monastery and the Capitolium Archaeological area included in the site “Lombards in Italy. Places of the Power (568-774 A.D.) Owere listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site together with Cividale del Friuli, Castelseprio-Torba, Spoleto, Campello sul Clitunno, Benevento, and Monte Sant’Angelo. THE MONUMENTAL The monastery included lodging for COMPLEX OF pilgrims and the poor, and played a SAN SALVATORE fundamental role in the social context of SANTA GIULIA that time. Today, the whole complex, after The monumental complex of San an outstanding restauration and Salvatore-Santa Giulia in Brescia is an enhancement work, hosts the City extraordinary place. This nunnery was Museum and displays the most built in 753 by Brescia’s duke Desiderius important artistic artifacts that narrate before he became king of the Lombards. the long history of Brescia and its region. The church of San Salvatore is one of the Of particular importance from the most significant examples of religious sculptural point of view are the Winged architecture in the Early Middle Ages; its Victory, the Emperors’ gilded bronze ornamentation is among the richest and heads, and the numerous marble best preserved. artifacts in the Roman section. THE ROMAN AGE TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF HISTORY… 8 ART AND CULTURE The splendor that the city reached private houses and the first Christian during the Roman Age is testified by places of worship. Inside the Museum, a the materials showcased in the Santa special exhibit is dedicated to a Roman Giulia Museum, which come from public, house (Domus) with remains from two civic, and religious buildings (such beautiful houses found in an area that as the late Republican Age sanctuary in the Middle Ages was near the nuns’ THE ROMAN AGE where the splendid ‘fourth cell’ was vegetable garden (hence the name recently restored, and over which the Domus dell’Ortaglia – vegetable garden TWO THOUSAND Capitolium temple was built), as well as in Italian). YEARS OF HISTORY… 9 DISCOVERING BRESCIA 10 ART AND CULTURE PIAZZA DEL FORO During the Roman Age, a grandiose AND CAPITOLIUM temple was erected on the hill. Since the (CAPITOLIUM TEMPLE) Middle Ages, the top of the hill has been fortified: first the Mirabella Tower was During the Roman Age it was the built, then the Visconti Keep in the 14th epicenter of Brescia’s political, religious, century, and the bastions and storage DISCOVERING and commercial life. buildings during the Venetian domination. The Capitolium Temple was on one After entering through the imposing end of the square, the old tribunal or 16th century entrance, which once had Basilica on the other, and the sides a drawbridge, you reach the panoramic BRESCIA had two colonnades with stores right gardens and the castle’s two museums. behind. Today, the combination of Roman The Risorgimento Museum is housed in remains, noble palaces, and old houses the Grande Miglio building and displays create a fascinating urban environment. items and documents from the Italian The Capitolium Temple was built under Unification Wars period, in particular Emperor Vespasianus between 73 and relating to the events that involved 74 A.D. and was the northern boundary Brescia and its region from Napoleon’s of the Forum in the Roman city of Brixia. domination to Italian Unification. The Between the 4th and 5th centuries, it Arms Museum is inside the Visconti was partially destroyed by a fire, covered Keep at the top of the fortress, and it in debris, and rediscovered only in boasts one of the richest ancient arms 1823. Its current aspect dates from 1939. and armours collections in Europe. The Inside the three cells there is a vast core of the exhibit is the Luigi Marzoli collection of Roman epigraphs as well as collection, which showcases Milan and commemorative and votive stones coming Brescia arms production from the 15th to from the whole province of Brescia. the 18th centuries and is a testimony of The most part of the archaeological the exquisiteness and artistic significance artifacts found here are on display at of Brescia’s craftsmanship. the Santa Giulia Museum. Among the most significant exhibitions, the Roman collection is the most substantive TEATRO GRANDE AND in terms of numbers: apart from the THE INTERNATIONAL rich gravestone collection, there are PIANO FESTIVAL sculptures, mosaics, grave goods, and the The current auditorium of Teatro Grande bronze statuette series. was designed by architect Luigi Canonica Work is still in progress to complete and built in 1810. Girolamo Magnani the archaeological studies, perform decorated it in 1862. The Ridotto (Foyer), additional restoration, and add new visit opened in 1772, is one of the most itineraries. outstanding examples of 18th century architectural pomp applied to a theatre. Its lovely ceiling depicts a sky populated THE CASTLE by several Greek gods, and with a ARMS MUSEUM AND trompe-l’oeil balustrade all around. RISORGIMENTO MUSEUM One famous anecdote is that Puccini’s The Cidneo hill on which the castle Madame Butterfly was enthusiastically stands was inhabited since Prehistory. received when it was performed here for BRESCIA AND PROVINCE 11 the first time on May 28th 1904, after an Santa Maria Maggiore, was demolished unsuccessful first performance at Milan’s between the 11th and 12th centuries La Scala. This is where the opera’s fortune to make room for the ample circular started. building that you can admire today. Teatro Grande’s Season includes classic In the interior, in front of the entrance, and contemporary productions ranging lies the imposing red marble sarcophagus from opera to dance, music, and cultural of Bishop Berardo Maggi, lord of the events. Every year in the springtime, city, who died in 1308. A flight of stairs Teatro Grande hosts the International descends into the Rotunda, where 8 Piano Festival of Brescia and Bergamo, pillars support arches that run along one of the world’s main piano events. its circumference and support the hemispheric cupola. The raised, deep presbytery contains the Sacred Crosses DUOMO NUOVO Chapel on its left, where precious The construction of Duomo Nuovo (New reliquaries are positioned behind Cathedral) started at the beginning of the protective grates.