Sirmione, Italy

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• Sirmione is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy (northern Italy). It is
bounded by the comunes of Desen Garda (Lombardy) and Peschiera del Garda in
the province of Verona and the region of Veneto. It has a historical centre which is
located on the Sirmio peninsula that divides the lower part of Lake Garda.
• The main historical landmark of Sirmione is the so-called Grottoes of Catullus (Grotte di Catullo), the most
striking example of a Roman private edifice discovered in northern Italy. The edifice had a rectangular plan
and measured 167 x 105 m. The town is famous for its thermal springs.
• The Scaliger Castle (13th century). This is a rare example of medieval port fortification, which was used by
the Scaliger fleet. The building of this complex started in 1277 by Mastino della Scala. It presents the
typical Ghibelline swallowtail merlons and the curtain-walls (with three corner towers) in pebbles
alternating with two horizontal bands of brick courses. The walls on the inside were finished with plaster
with graffiti, simulating blocks of stone. The castle stands at a strategic place at the entrance to the
peninsula. It is surrounded by a moat and it can only be entered by two drawbridges. The caste was
established mainly as a protection against enemies, but also against the locals. The main room houses a
small museum with local finds from the Roman era and a few medieval artifacts.
• The small church Sant’Anna della Rocca, next to the castle. It dates from the 12th century and was used
mainly by the garrison and the few local villagers. The frescoes in the church date from the 14th - 17th
century.
• The church of San Pietro in Mavino, built in Lombard times (765 A.D.) but renovated in the early 14th
century. At the portal one can see a brick wall with the date 1320. It is secluded from the town and is
situated on the hill. The term "mavino" refers to the Latin phrase "in summas vineas" (up in the
vineyards). The church has a rectangular plan and is oriented east-west. The cancel contains three apses.
The one in the middle shows a Christ Pantocrator in Byzantine tradition; the one on the left a Madonna
Enthroned; the one on the right a Crucifixion. The ceiling is made of wooden beams. The church containss
frescoes from the 12th-16th centuries. The Romanesque bell tower dates from 1070. The church has been
used in the past as a military hospital and its surroundings as a cemetery for plague victims.
• The church Santa Maria Maggiore (late 15th century) is located in the town centre. It stands on the site of
the former Lombard church of San Martino (second half of the 8th century). It has a rectangular shape
with a polygonal apse and is oriented east-west. It has a single nave, divided by three arches. It is
decorated with early 15th-century frescoes. The frescoes at the bottom of the north wall even belong to
an earlier period. The contemporary wooden statue of the Madonna Enthroned is also of special interest.
2014.09.29. Sirmione, Lake Garda, Italy 2

2014.09.29. Sirmione, Lake Garda, Italy 11 San Pietro in Mavino

2014.09.29. Sirmione, Lake Garda, Italy Scaliger Castle 17

2014.09.29. Sirmione, Lake Garda, Italy Sant’Anna della Rocca 31

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Sirmione, Italy

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