Desenzano del Garda
Tra storia e presente, un luogo ricco di emozioni
In the area of Polada, in the years between 1870 and 1876, pots from the Bronze age (2200 BC) were discovered in a peat-bog. In 1921, on the road that linked Brescia with Verona, the ruins of a Roman villa were also discovered. In 1220 it became the fief of the Gonfalonieri family and was the theatre of fighting between Guelphs and Ghibellines. With the rule of the Venetians (1426) Desenzano, like other populations on lower Lake Garda became part of the Magnifica Patria. In 1500 the Academy was built and in the 12th century, despite the protection of Mantua, Desenzano fell under the rule of Luigi XII; the fifteen hundreds proved to be a difficult century for Desenzano with the passage of the Lanzichenecchi and the plague. After 350 years Desenzano, in 1772, managed to find its independence from Salò. Iin the period of the two World Wars Desenzano suffered several bombings.
Best things to do and see in Desenzano del Garda
Duomo di Santa Maria Maddalena
Duomo di Santa Maria Maddalena
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Maddalena is the most important sacred building in Desenzano del Garda. The monument was built on the remains of an ancient parish church, designed by Giulio Todeschini. Due to the prolonged construction times of the Duomo the building is not entirely faithful to the project but has been realized as the construction phase continued. The facade of the monument features baroque decorative elements and recalls the Church of Jesus in Rome. The Cathedral of Santa Maria Maddalena has a basilica plan and is divided into three naves. The interior is characterized by the classical style, typical of the late Renaissance works, the barrel vault that covers the central nave with its circularity resumes the shape of the arches. Very interesting inside the Cathedral is the pictorial cycle dedicated to Mary Magdalene, realized by Andrea Celesti in the seventeenth century. Very beautiful is the painting depicting the penitent Magdalene, that of the Resurrection of Lazarus and the dinner in the house of Simon the Pharisee. To see, in the chapel dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament, is the Last Supper by Tiepolo.
Castello di Desenzano
Castello di Desenzano
The castle that dominates the city, perhaps built on a Roman castrum to defend the barbarian invasions, was rebuilt in the municipal era and strengthened in the fifteenth century, when it contained 120 houses and a church dedicated to S. Ambrogio. Of the imposing construction remain the walls, crossed in the perimeter by four towers, and the entrance tower with the remains of a drawbridge. At the end of the 19th century it was transformed into a barracks, in operation until 1943. The restoration of the walls allows the visit of the walkway and the ascent to the main entrance, from which one can enjoy one of the most beautiful views of Lake Garda. In the former lodgings of the officers have been created rooms for exhibitions and conferences.
Piazza Malvezzi e i monumenti del centro
Piazza Malvezzi e i monumenti del centro
The historic center dates back to the 16th century with the intervention of the Brescian architect Giulio Todeschini. At the center of the arcades stands the palace of the Venetian Provveditore, unfinished work of Todeschini, while in the square stands the monument to the patron saint S. Angela Merici, erected in 1782. On the lakefront is the monument to the General Desenzano Achille Pope, by Giancarlo Maroni, D'Annunzio's architect for the Vittoriale. Opposite stands the monument to the fallen of all wars, modern work by Arnaldo Pomodoro. In Piazza Cappelletti is the monument dedicated to the martyrs of the Resistance. In Piazza Matteotti, the monument to the high-speed aeronautical department stands out, leaning towards the lake.
Useful information
Discover all the points of interest in the city.
Market day
Tuesday
Festivities and events
Festa di Sant’Angela Merici 27th January
Hospital
Ospedali di Desenzano del Garda - Località Montecroce
Pharmacies
FARMACIA – CAPOLATERRA Viale Guglielmo Marconi, 40 FARMACIA COMUNALE – AESSEDI Via Palmiro Togliatti, 11 FARMACIA COMUNALE LE GREZZE – C.C. LE VELE Via Adua FARMACIA – DE GRESSI DR.A EMANUELA Via Santa Maria, 1 FARMACIA – GRANELLI DR.A MARIA Piazza Cappelletti, 10 FARMACIA RIVOTELLA – DR. ALBERTO BORZANI Via Giuseppe Vittorio, 1 FARMACIA SAN MARTINO – DR. ANTONINO CULTRERA Piazza della Concordia ,1
Beaches
SPIAGGIA DESENZANINO SPIAGGIA FELTRINELLI SPIAGGIA PORTO RIVOLTELLA SPIAGGIA DEI CANNETI SPIAGGIA D’ORO GOLDEN BECH
Port / Station
STAZIONE FS – Piazza Einaudi, 10 PORTO – Lungolago Cesare Battisti
