Description

The guided tour of Brescia will lead you to the discovery of one of the most fascinating cities in Northern Italy, in an artistic journey that pass throught thousands of years and that among Roman temples, Lombard remains, Renaissance frescoes, poetic views and imposing churches will not fail to amaze even those who already knows the city.

Brescia, nicknamed “Lioness of Italy” for the ten days of resistance to the Austrians during the Italian Risorgimento, has a millennial history: it was founded 3200 years ago, it was the capital of the Cenomatic cocks and later a Roman colony with the name of Brixia. Testimony of this glorious past is its historic center, where some of its most famous monuments are found.

Our itinerary to discover the treasures of Brescia will begin with the monastic-Lombard complex of San Salvatore-Santa Giulia, a place rich in historical memories stratified over the centuries, which, together with the monumental area of ​​the Roman Forum, was declared a UNESCO site world Heritage. In fact, the female monastery of the Benedictine rule was built by the last Lombard king Desiderio in 753 on an area already occupied in Roman times by important Domus. The complex includes the Lombard basilica of San Salvatore and its crypt, the amazing church of Santa Maria in Solario, the Coro delle Monache, the 16th century church of Santa Giulia and the cloisters.

After lunch, the visit will continue to the Archaeological Park where we will visit the Capitoline Temple, a Roman temple located in Piazza del Foro, the nucleus of ancient Roman Brixia. Together with the theater and the remains of the city forum, it is the most important complex of ruins and remains of Roman public buildings in northern Italy. Another part of the visit to the Archaeological Park will be a visit to the extraordinary Republican Sanctuary, datable around the first decades of the first century BC, a true unicum in the archaeological panorama of northern Italy, whose pictorial decoration is characterized by high technical quality and formal implementation and an excellent degree of conservation.

Later we will continue our journey towards Piazza Duomo, the true heart of Brescia, where the Broletto palace overlooks, the oldest public palace in the city and the seat of civic magistrates in the communal age, and the two cathedrals called Duomo Nuovo and Duomo Vecchio. The latter, also called Rotonda, built from the 11th century on a previous basilica, is a rare and remarkable example of a circular medieval stone building. Inside we will be able to admire numerous works, among which a sepulcher by Bonino da Campione, the organ by Giangiacomo Antegnati, the marble sarcophagus of Berardo Maggi and the cycle of canvases by Moretto and Romanino stand out. Finally, the crypt dating back to the 6th century is also of great importance.

A few steps away we will then be able to appreciate the imposing stone façade of Botticino del Duomo Nuovo, built between 1604 and 1825. The long life of the factory, which lasted for about 230 years, produced an unusual result; then we will walk in Piazza della Loggia, where the beautiful Renaissance Loggia stands out, nowadays the seat of the municipal council of Brescia, some valuable 16th century Venetian-style buildings and the arcades surmounted by the “Clock Tower”.

Finally, the guided tour of Brescia ends with a look at the modernity of the 20th century: we will visit Piazza della Vittoria, designed by the architect Marcello Piacentini, where the INA Tower stands out. With its 15 floors it was the first skyscraper built in Italy and between the very first in Europe and the Tower of the Revolution.

In this way we will have experienced more than 3000 years of history and discovered details and beauties which, just a few kilometers from Milan, remain a great thrill even for the Lombard people themselves!

PROGRAM OF THE DAY:

Morning

– 8.00 am: departure from Milan

– Guided tour of the archaeological park

– Guided tour of the historic center and town squares

– Free lunch

Afternoon

– Guided tour of the Santa Giulia Museum

– Guided tour of the Old Cathedral

– Around 19.30: arrival in Milan