Brescia is home to several great museums.
Tempio Capitolino: Old Roman ruins, the last remains of what once was the city’s forum during the Roman Empire, built by the emperor Vespasian.
Old and New Duomo: The unique pre-renaisance church has a massive stone dome and 12th century crucifixes. Next door is the city cathedral, built 150 years ago, with the third largest dome in Italy. The local hero is former Pope Paul VI, a native Brescian.
The Castle: Dating to pre-Roman times and last fortified by the Venetian overlords of the 16th century, the city’s stronghold houses museums of armory and of the Risorgimento (Italy’s first struggles for independence and unification), and provides excellent views of the Valtrompia, the alps, and the city itself.
Santa Giulia’s cloister: This museum and former convent houses a massive collection of art and archeology dating back more than 10,000 years and exploring the region’s history from pre-history to Roman occupation to the Lombard invasion, etc. The museums also contain foundational remnants of Brescian houses from various periods. The permanent collection of religious art is one of the best in northern Italy, and the city prides itself in attracting traveling exhibits of excellent and prestigious collections.
La Loggia: The city hall and center of regional government, this large and oddly shaped building presides over the city’s central square, where you’ll often see political demonstrations, concerts, and markets. You can enter the building and look around in the main halls, enjoying the architecture and decor, but it remains primarily functional. The Loggia (lodge) also marks the northern end of the city’s retail shopping district.
Mille Miglia: Until the auto industry made its dirty, cliffside roads, hairpin turns, and spectator presence far too dangerous, the Mille Miglia, which starts in Brescia, was one of the world’s top automobile races. Since it was discontinued as a real race 40 years ago (following numerous driver and spectator deaths), it has continued as a museum of automobile history. The actual race, now a parade of refurbished and custom designed cars that slowly winds its way through 1000 miles of northern Italy, starts in May of each year.
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