Visiting Montichiari, the art city of Brescia’s plain

Discerning tourists cannot miss a stop in Montichiari, one of the most important art treasures in Brescia’s plain. Home to interesting fairs, music, and sports events, Montichiari’s valuable historical and cultural heritage just waits for you to discover it. Here are its main attractions.

Cathedral of Montichiari

Erected in the 18th century, the Cathedral of Montichiari is one of the city’s symbols and one of the most valuable works of the entire province from an artistic and architectural perspective.

The cathedral welcomes visitors with its monumental facade, a prelude to the splendid floor in white Carrara marble and bardiglio Seravezza marble guarded inside. The side altars are amazing: one of them – the altar of the Blessed Sacrament, the second on the left side – boasts Romanino’s canvas depicting the Last Supper. The majestic dome is also noteworthy: this impressive construction, boasting as much as 18 meters in diameter and with a drum covered in Botticino marble interspersed with eight large windows, is visible even from miles away.

Fun fact: the bell tower of the Cathedral of Montichiari has recently been enriched with a new bell, named “Bell of Life”. It resounds every time a child is born in the community and calls the devotees 10 minutes before each celebration.

Free admission, accessible to people with disabilities. Information and reservations: +39 030 9650455 – www.montichiarimusei.it

Bonoris Castle

Built over the ruins of the old fortification, in a panoramic position, the castle was designed as a private residence for Count Gaetano Bonoris. Its neo-Medieval stile emulates architectural motifs found in 13^th and 14^th-century castles in Piedmont and Aosta Valley. Visiting it is like plunging into a fairy-tale.

In 1996 it was purchased by the Municipality of Montichiari, which after extensive restoration work made it accessible again to the public with guided tours.

offering a beautiful view. Apart from its excellently preserved interior, it boasts another strength: the wonderful park surrounding it. Here, numerous events are held throughout the year, such as the San Pancrazio Fair, the Maggio Medievale Monteclarense and some of the shows of the Vivi Montichiari summer festival.

Guided tours available. Not accessible to people with disabilities. Information and reservations: +39 030 9650455 – www.montichiarimusei.it

Lechi Museum

An intense journey into private collecting with 185 works of art and a rich library of about 1,500 volumes in art history. Inaugurated in 2012, the art gallery houses the incredible bequest that Count and notary Luigi Lechi made to the Municipality of Montichiari. Among the preserved heritage are major works by Moretto and several paintings by Pitocchetto, one above all the masterpiece Woman weaving a sock.

The Lechi Museum is set up in the rooms of Palazzo Tabarino (former municipal headquarters) and has over 1,500 square meters of exhibition space arranged on two floors. Added to this are spaces dedicated to educational workshops, the library, and the archives.

Information and reservations: +39 030 9650455 – www.montichiarimusei.it

Pieve di San Pancrazio

This Romanesque monument is among the best preserved in Lombardy and welcomes visitors in all its essentiality and simplicity.

Located in an oasis of peace and tranquility on the namesake hill, it can be accessed via a picturesque flight of steps surrounded by greenery. The masonry of the church is made of Botticino marble.

The Pieve di San Pancrazio is easily reachable on foot from the historic center. For information: +39 030 9650439 – www.montichiarimusei.it

Teatro Sociale Gaetano Bonoris

One of the most striking and important Italian-style theaters in the province of Brescia, this finely decorated building features a U-shaped hall, two tiers of boxes, and a gallery, for a total of 375 seats. Financed by Count Bonoris (hence the name), it was inaugurated in 1774 and enlarged in 1890.

Today the Bonoris Theater hosts a wide variety of performances, from prose to comedy, opera and dance to dialect reviews. For details on the program, see the official Facebook page.

How to reach Montichiari

Montichiari is just a 25 minutes’ drive from Brescia. It can be reached by car via Brescia’s tangenziale, the A21 highway junction (exit: Fascia d’Oro) and the A4 Milan-Venice highway (exit: Brescia Est). If you want to use public transportation, you can count on APAM lines LS33 and 2, departing from the Brescia bus station (www.apam.it, Tel. +39 0376 230339, ticket price: €2,60, travel time: about 50 mins).