Comune di Brescia tourism website: useful information about what to see and where to go.

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Points of Interest: Monumental statues

Tito Speri

Tue, 14/11/2017 - 11:33 -- Laura
The statue of Tito Speri, Brescia

Tito Speri was a patriot and was born in Brescia in 1825.

He was one of the founders of the secret society which led the revolution against the Austrians during the so-called “Ten Days” (23rd March – 1st April 1849); he led the defence of Torrelunga door (today known as Arnaldo Square) and of the small square which was once called “dell'albera” (of the tree) and is today named after him.

The first clashes between Brescian and Austrian soldiers took place near Sant’Eufemia. Among the troops, Tito Speri stood out for his charisma and strategic skills and more than once the Brescians were able to make the Austrian army withdraw preventing them from reaching and supporting their garrisons barricaded in the Castle.

Arnaldo da Brescia

Wed, 15/11/2017 - 10:26 -- Laura
Statue of Arnaldo, Brescia

Arnaldo was born in Brescia and devoted his life to criticizing clergy corruption and opposing to  Catholic Church’s temporal power. He was a strenuous supporter of the anti-Pope and independence movement in Rome.
Banished from Italy after a sentence of the Second Lateran Council, Arnaldo da Brescia spent a long time in France and Switzerland where he met the most renowned theologians and philosophers of his time and became a disciple of the famous philosopher Pietro Abelardo.

Giuseppe Garibaldi

Wed, 15/11/2017 - 15:57 -- Laura
Statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi, Brescia

Giuseppe Garibaldi (Nizza, 4th July 1807 - Caprera, 2nd June 1882) was an Italian general, patriot, leader and writer known as “the hero of two worlds” because of the military actions he performed both in Europe and South America. In Italy he is almost unanimously considered one of the fathers of the Nation.   

La Bella Italia

Tue, 21/11/2017 - 11:32 -- Laura
Statue of La Bella Italia, Brescia

The Memorial to the fallen of the “Ten Days” of Brescia is in the place where, until 1797, the high column with the lion of Venice stood as a symbol of Venetian domination of the town, and where death sentences were executed.
The monument is in memory of the popular insurrection against Austrian domination which started exactly in this square on the 23rd March 1849. Due to the ten days of its heroic resistance Brescia was granted the name of Lioness of Italy.

Giuseppe Mazzini

Tue, 21/11/2017 - 12:15 -- Laura
Bust of Giuseppe Mazzini, Brescia

Giuseppe Mazzini (Genoa, 22nd June 1805 – Pisa 10th March 1872) was an Italian patriot, politician and philosopher whose fundamental lessons led to the birth of a united Italian Nation.
After graduating in law at university, in 1827 he became a member of the revolutionary secret society called Carboneria, which in those years was spreading its action in Northern Italy with its patriotic ideas against Austrian domination.

Angelo Maria Querini

Tue, 21/11/2017 - 12:30 -- Laura
Bust of Cardinale Angelo Maria Querini, Brescia

Angelo Maria Querini was born in Venice on the 20th March 1680.
He was a bishop, a scholar, a librarian and the heir of one of the most influential families of Venetian aristocracy.
Since his childhood he was connected with Brescia where he was welcomed at the prestigious Collegio dei Gesuiti di Sant’Antonio (Jesuit College of Saint Antony); he then joined the Benedictine order in Florence.

Fontana dei Fiumi

Thu, 23/11/2017 - 11:30 -- Laura
Fountain of the rivers, Brescia

The Pallata Tower was built along the pre-existing Medieval walls, using the remains of Roman buildings, with the purpose of defending Porta San Giovanni (Saint John Door). It then lost its defensive purpose and became the municipal treasure safe, provisions warehouse and prison.
In 1597 Pietro Maria Bagnadore designed the fountain that was built on the Western side of the tower (the architect of Brescia was the author of the main transformation of the town in those years: the palace of the Nuovo Monte di Pietà (The New Pawnshop), the market place, etc.).

La Lodoìga

Thu, 23/11/2017 - 11:45 -- Laura
Statue of the Lodoìga, Brescia

The so-called “Lodoìga” was a sculpture probably meant to be part of the facade of Loggia Palace in Brescia.
The project designed by Jacopo Sansovino designed in consist of a balustrade enriched with two overlapping series of statues as crowning element of the facade.
The statues at the far northern and southern sides of the highest series should have represented Saints Faustino and Giovita, the city patrons, while the two statues at the centre were supposed to be the symbol of Justice and Fidelity.