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Castle of Desenzano del Garda
- Category What see Lake Garda and Verona
The Castle of Desenzano del Garda, once a refuge, now a home for exhibitions, shows and a fabulous panoramic point.
Number of views: 6512Agriturismo - Where to stay overnight
Historical notes on the Castle of Desenzano del Garda
The Castle of Desenzano del Garda built in Roman times, probably in defense of the barbarian invasions, was rebuilt in the municipal period and subsequently strengthened in the 15th century, at the time in which it contained 120 houses and a church dedicated to Sant'Ambrogio.
At the end of the fifteenth century it was enlarged in the southern part and although it had been enlarged to house a garrison, it never became a military fortress. The tower of the Castle of Desenzano maintained its function as a refuge for the people.
Inside the castle, the houses continued to be inhabited by private citizens, ready to welcome in case of danger, those who lived outside the walls.
As time passed, the castle lost its function as a refuge, however it continued to be inhabited by families, even if for most of the nineteenth century it decreased.
The Castle of Desenzano is in the shape of an irregular rectangle with the tower located to the north to protect the drawbridge, of which the slits to slide the chains remain.
In 1882 the castle was used as a barracks, from the beginning as the seat of an infantry garrison, then of Bersaglieri and in the end as the seat of Alpine troops in the 1930s until 1943.
Of the ancient castle there remain some sections of curtain walls with crumbling merlons between the four cut off corner towers, with the exception of the one on the north-east corner which, until 1940, functioned as a viewing window. From the terrace of the Castle of Desenzano you can enjoy one of the most beautiful views of Lake Garda.
Restoration and modification of the Castle of Desenzano del Garda
Over the centuries, there have been numerous interventions that have changed the structure and the original destination of the manor: the demolition of a section of walls located on the eastern side contiguous to the icebox in the 1930s, the operation was carried out to allow the view of the panorama;
in the 1950s a partial emptying of the building that housed the officers' quarters in order to install a municipal aqueduct tank.
Nl 1969 the Municipality manages to obtain a large part of the property from the State, with a constraint: the former barracks should have been used for offices, public services and schools for a duration greater than or equal to 20 years.
The walls, the turrets and the keep are excluded from the operation, which being monumental parts are still ascribed to the inalienable patrimony of the State.
More recently (2007) other Castle recovery interventions have been carried out. The first concerns the recovery and reuse of the keep, part of the north-west walls (including the small tower of Pontesello) and a portion of the internal courtyard enclosed between the walls and the northern face of the former "Beretta" barracks, using the new spaces for artists and cultural purposes through exhibitions, musical and cultural events.
The second concerns the restoration, recovery and reuse of the north walls up to the Buffalora torresino and of the former official lodgings, built at the same time as the construction of the "Beretta" barracks (1882-1885). These spaces were then used in 2014 for exhibitions, urban centers and conference rooms.
Finally, the recovery and restoration of the walls and the bell tower, completed in autumn 2019.
Visit the Castle of Desenzano del Garda
As soon as you cross the threshold of the Castle it is possible, thanks to the recovery of the walls, to visit the patrol walkway and the ascent of the entrance keep, from which you can see a spectacular view of Lake Garda. Temporary exhibitions are also held, organized periodically and hosted in the courtyard or in the rooms used, and summer shows. In addition, the castle, in the summer, also hosts an open-air cinema.
For more information, days and opening and closing times: comune.desenzano.brescia.it
Where to stay overnight:
