He finally went to Brescia

Updated 12/7/2025

Brescia, 10/11/2025 - 10/14/2025

Impressions: Another smaller city, a bit bigger than Bergamo. Also mostly flat; the mountain here in Brescia is where an old palace is, a historical museum, a big park that's a popular spot for young lovers, and also where the city had setup an outdoor gathering for the young folks with bars and food.

Maybe it's a little less cosmopolitan than Bergamo (and definitely less than Milan) because more people are letting me massacre their language and then answer me in Italian rather than switching to English.

View from the Palazzo — A panoramic from the Palazzo

Look how they get down in Brescia! Now this reminds me of Spain even more than the rest of everything about Italy. This is in the big park below the castle pictured above.

Brescia Alleyway — Just thought this was cool looking.

The Weight of Suspended Time by Bombardieri — *The Weight of Suspended Time* by Stefano Bombardieri, 2020. What city doesn't need a hanging Rhino?

Accommodations

Each place has been better than the last - here it's a tremendously spacious one bedroom that is one block from the Duomo and what seems so far to be the lively center of the city.

I seem to have established a pattern that the rental has to be a 20 minute walk from the train station, and this was no exception. However it was all flat with a minimum of paving stones or cobblestones.

Pellino Top coffee can — This is the coffee I buy at home! Unfortunately it's almost empty.

Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo, 10/11/2025

Another medium-sized collection of Italian painting from the 14th - 19th century. Once again found some new artistic crushes - Matthias Stom and Pitocecco (Giacomo Ceruti).

Christ Among the Doctors by Stom — Christ Among the Doctors by Matthias Stom, circa 1624 - 1633.

Time for art from the Pinacoteca

Chiesa di Santa Angela Merici, 10/11/2025

Madonna with Child by Procacinni (of course).

The New Duomo, 10/11/2025

Brescia has two cathedrals, the "new" one and the old one.

Brescia new Duomo interior 1 — The architecture is giving me deja vu...

Brescia new Duomo interior 2 — And no noteworthy art (at least in my opinion).

The Old Duomo, 10/11/2025

Actually the more interesting one - the design is such that you go downstairs for mass. I guess this would have kept the place warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Also the decorations have that romanesque thing going for them.

Brixia Archeological Park, 10/12/2025

Between here and visits to a couple historical museums, I learned that Brescia has been a strategic place since the Romans and they punch above their weight in the history of modern Italy's formation.

Ruins of Roman temple — Roman temple of Jupiter. The white is the original, the brickwork is part of the restoration.

Well preserved Roman frescoes beneath the temple.

Roman food. Kidding, it just fit here. Casoncelli di Magro alla Bresciana - sort of like stuffed shells but the pasta is more like candy wrappers with a stuffing of cheese, breadcrumbs, and spices, in a oil and parmesan sauce. Yum!

Diocesan Museum of Brescia, 10/12/2025

Has a bunch of paintings, icons, and other religious artifacts from the area. They have work by some of the local big names but it's not their best work.

Rachel at the Wall by dePieri — Rachel at the Wall by Antonio de' Pieri. This one's good though!

St. Rose of Lima by Andrea Celesti. What's up with the eyes?

Virgin and Child and St. Anna, St. James the Great and St. Benedict by Andrea Celesti. Such creepy eyes - love it!

Basilica dei Santi Faustino e Giovita, 10/13/2025

Interior of Basilica dei Santi Faustino e Giovita — "Just let the work speak for itself."

Chiesa Sant' Agata Vergine e Martire, 10/13/2025

Interior of Chiesa Sant' Agata Vergine e Martire

Ceiling detail in Chiesa Sant' Agata Vergine e Martire

Painting in Chiesa Sant' Agata Vergine e Martire

Chiesa San Francesco d'Assisi, 10/13/2025

Painting in Chiesa San Francesco d'Assisi