Lonato
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coat of arms
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Map
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| Statistics | |
| Region: | Lombardy |
| Province: | Brescia |
| Location: | . |
| Area: | 70 km² |
| Population: | 13,571 (2004) |
| Population density: | 173/km² |
| Sections: | Esenta, Sedena, Malocco,
Castelvenzago, Campagna, Barcuzzi, Lido, Centenaro Madonna della Scoperta |
| Elevation: | m 188 |
| Postal code: | 25017 |
| Area/distance code: | 030 |
| Car designation: | BS |
| ISTAT code: | 017092 |
| Fiscal code: | E667 |
| Name of habitants: | Lonatesi |
| Saint: | Giovanni Battista |
| Day: | June 24 |
| Website: | www.comune.lonato.bs.it |
| Politics | |
| Mayor: | Mario Bocchio |
Lonato is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy (Italy). It is geographically located in the south-west part of Lake Garda. The comune is bounded by the towns of Castiglione delle Stiviere, Desenzano del Garda, Calcinato, Bedizzole, Calvagese della Riviera, Padenghe sul Garda, Pozzolengo and on the nord-east side with lake Garda. The town is a rising popular holiday destination, thanks to its panoramic location on lake Garda (the town center is about 5 kilometers from the lake) and its numerous historical and artistics monuments and museums: Prehistoric findings (pile-dwellings), Roman Ruins, Medieval castle, Baroque Churches and modern museums.
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[edit] Main Sightseeings
In the center of the town: The Castle, called "Rocca" with the Ornitological museu, the house of the Podestà, with the library (Foundation Ugo da Como). Around the main square, Piazza Martiri della libertà, we find the Townhall, the Venetian column, the gorgeous Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista, and the Civic Tower (or Clock Tower).
Outside the centre: Roman ruins "Fornaci", Abbazia di Maguzzano, Drugolo Castle, the churches of Madonna di San Martino, San Cipriano, pieve di San Zeno.
[edit] Main Monuments
The main tourism attractions are the buildings belonging to the Foundation Ugo da Como: the Castle (around 1000 years old) with the ornitological museum, the House-Museum of the House of the Podestà and its library with 52.000 ancient volumes. Those historical sites attacts more than 10.000 visitors every year.
Website of the Fondation Ugo da Como
The House of the Podestà was built in the second half of the 15th century as seat of the representative of Venetian Republic, who controlled the region for more than 350 years (1441-1796). Only briefly, was Lonato under Mantuan rule under the marquis Francesco Gonzaga (1509-1516).
After Napoleon granted Venetian domains to the Austrians, the Podestà was used by Austrians as a barracks, and then to the commune of Lonato, under whom it fell into disrepair.
The building was auctioned in public in 1906, and bought by Ugo da Como and his wife Maria Glisenti, who, conscious of the historical import , called the architect A. Tagliaferri (1835-1909) to restore it. As was fashionable in his time, they furnished the house, and today the extensive collections, including library with 52.000 volumes, 405 incunabola (one of the most important collection in Italy), 470 manuscripts and rare illuminated codes, parchments and prints. It also contains one of the smallest book in the world, 15x9 mm, it reproduces the letter by Galileo Galilei to Cristina di Lorena. In addition, it holds manuscripts letters by Ugo Foscolo to his lover Marzia Martinengo, written in 1807-1809.
The Rocca of Lonato surmounts a hill dominating the southern side of Lake Garda. The southern slope shelters the historical centre of Lonato, the limits of which, today, border the Padana lowlands. The fortification may be considered one of the most important in Lombardy. Its vaguely irregular form reveals a central structure almost 180 meters in length and approximately 45 metres in width. It is composed of two structures at different levels: the so-called Rocca in the upper part and, lower down, what is called the General Quarters. Despite the long domination by the Visconti and Scaligeri families, the walled embankment, built in large morenic rocks, carries Guelph merlons. In all probability, Lonato's castle was first built around the year 1000 when fortifications were raised in the whole area, against the invasion of the barbarians. Its architectural design closely follows the standards of the 15th and 16th centuries when it was rebuilted by the Visconti family of Milan.
After passing from the Gonzaga domination to Venice, then back to the Gonzaga and again to Venice, the castle passed to the Austrian Empire and finally to private hands. The military base was demolished and the internal and external surface was transformed into agricultural land. In 1912 the castle was declared a national monument; it was bought by Senator Ugo da Como in 1920 who partly restored it, and since 1996 it houses the Museo Civico Ornitologico, conferences, weddings and theatral shows.
The Museo Civico Ornitologico (Museum of Birds) is located inside the castle and contains more than 700 specimens. The species represented are from the area of lake Garda but also of exotic origin, together with specimens with rarities, unique characteristics, plumage anomalies.
The Duomo (Cathedral) of St. John the Baptist dates from the 19th century. It is an admirable example of the Baroque architecture, designed by the Lonato architect Paolo Sorattini (1680-1762) and built douring the second half of the 18th century. Its balanced cupola (20 meters of diameter and 60 meters high) and facade soberly decorated with marble are the basilica's most notable points. The magnificent baroque interior is enriched with frescoes and altar pieces by Venetian artists among whom were Antonio Balestra and Giambettino Cignaroli.
The civic tower (1555) is 55m high and it has a clock of the 1773 with very interesting counterbalance mechanism.
Fornaci Romane: south of Lonato in the location "Gorghi", six Roman brickworks were recently found and restored. The brickworks have circular shape with a firing chamber built using a technique with casts of pebbles stuck togeter with mortar. The ruins seems to indicate that this location was an important industrial center between the I and II century A.D.
The civic tower and Fornaci Romane can be visited only by appointment: Ph. 030/91.39.22.25 Fax 030.91.39.22.40, lapolada@yahoo.it, or Tel/Fax 030.91.30.043, prolocolonato@libero.it
[edit] Fairs and Markets
- "Mercantico": antiquity market, every 3rd week of the month, in the center of the town
- Local market: every Thursday morning, in the center of the town
- Town Fair: "Fiera di Lonato", January 17th (every year)
[edit] History
The town lies on the beautiful landscape of the Morenic Hill, on the south-west side of lake Garda. Here the first human takeovers appeared in the Bronze Age, on pile-dwellings, as testified by archaeological findings in the areas of Polada and Lavagnone. The name Lonato is believed from some scholars to derive from the Celtic term “Lona” meaning little lake.
In the imperial-Roman time, Lonato was crossed by the Basilica Emilia way, which used to connect Gallia with Aquileia. Roman ruins were found in the area of Monte Mario and Pozzo. The town was destroyed in 909 by the Hungars, then a new castle was build and the town fortified. In the following centuries Lonato was various times destroyed and rebuilt. In 1512 the king Louis XII of France established here his head quarter. In 1516 Lonato become part of the Venetian Republic, until Napoleon arrived in 1796, when he fought and won the Austrians during the first Italian campaign. In 1859 the town was part of the Italian Kingdom. During WWI here passed by the “basso Garda” defensive line, while in WWII it was a training centre for the X MAS.
The coat of arm represent a lion rampant turned on the left side, with two golden keys grasped by the front legs. In 1509, Louis XII of France granted to Lonato the honour to enrich the coat of arm with the three lilies of France, in gratitude for the favours that Lonato’s community offered him.
[edit] Transportation
Lonato is located in the middle of northern Italy, about half way between Milan and Venice, on the south-west side of lake Garda (the biggest Italian lake).
By car: Highway A4 Milano-Venezia, etake Desenzano exit from the highway A22 Brennero-Modena: in Verona nord take the direction Brescia-Milano, and exit at Desenzano del Garda
By bus: line busses connect Lonato with Brescia, Verona and Mantua.
By airplain: the closest airports are in order:
- Montichiari (BS) (defined by Ryanair "Verona/Brescia")
- Orio al Serio (BG)
- Villafranca (VR)
- Milano-Linate (MI)
- Milano-Malpensa (VA)
