The story

Located at the foot of the hill of San Pancrazio, in an admirable landscape context dominated by the Romanesque church, the Palace Monti of contrada Borgosotto belongs to that splendid series of historical residences that characterize the heritage of Brescia’s architecture.

The garden and the adjoining Brolo with the opening of the long portico that overlooks them, creates a scenic setting of rare beauty.

The ancient building was transformed into a country villa in the 18th century. Some architectural details (the selvedge on the entrance portal, the balustrades on the steps and the columns of the portico) as well as the internal decoration of the so-called “chapel” highlight the typical calligraphy of the eighteenth century in Brescia, and it is not risky to hypothesize that the authors of the renovation project were Antonio and Gaspare Turbini, famous architects living in Montichiari at that time.

A few steps, accompanied by an elegant double balustrade with columns, lead to a short balcony that gives access to a room, perhaps the chapel of the palace, frescoed according to the typical Brescian Baroque style. The portico runs along seven arches, set on columns of Tuscanesque order. The hall and other smaller rooms, all on the ground floor, open onto it.

In July 1796 Napoleon Bonaparte, with his headquarters, stayed at Palazzo Monti for as long as it was necessary to prepare for the clash with the Austrian army, known as the “Battle of Castiglione” on August 5, 1796, whose victory represented the beginning of Napoleon’s rise. Palazzo Monti preserves a marble bust, a copy of Canova, of Napoleon.