Porto - Lovere Mo...

The quarter takes its name from Lovere harbour. In the 15th century it was also knows as “Porto della Regio” because of its position below Regio quarter.

In the past current 13 Martyrs Square was occupied by some buildings; among them Bertolotti’s house which was demolished in the 19th century. The place name “Porto” indicated the main mooring post in the little town. Its defence was assured by a big tower, whose remains are still partly visible.

In the Middle Ages people from Lovere owned several boats with which they performed their trading across Lake Iseo, especially near Iseo. These boats were sometimes used to assure military control over the lake.

Even in the 15th century some porticoed buildings stood along the town quays and streets. They housed taverns, warehouses, workshops (Lantieri’s, Gaioncelli’s, Ghagaperi’s and de Ricardis’ ) and places for wool production and dyeing.

At the end of the 16th century the weekly market known as “delle Biave” took place in this area. It was tax exempt and millet, rye and wheat were traded.

In the 15th century the Lazaris’, Ghagaperi’s, Poloni’s, Bossis’, de Mochis di Terzo’s, de Bullis’, Lanteriis de Paratico’s, de Sancto Laurentio’s and Campioni di Varenna’ s houses were located in the harbour quarter.

THE CIVIC TOWER
ST. GEORGE’ S CHURCH
TADINI PALACE
SANCTUARY OF LOVERE SAINTS
ST. CLARA’S CHURCH & FORMER ST. MARTIN’S CHURCH
ST. MARY’ BASILICA IN VALVENDRA
ST. JOHN’S SANCTUARY ON MOUNT CALA

THE CIVIC TOWER
It was rebuilt during the19th century. On the tower there’s a clock and a fresco of a lion, symbol of the Venetian rule, bearing the date 1442.
The fresco below is a false, a part of the original fresco beeing now kept in the office of the town hall while the other part got destroyed.
The Civic Tower, which dates back to the XIV century, lies on the remains of the castle of the Celeri family.

ST. GEORGE’ S CHURCH
Lovere provostal church was built at the end of the 14th century over the previous medieval tower Soca. It houses a magnificent painting placed on the inner by the Flemish painter Jean de Herdt (1657). The altar-piece of the left altar painted by G. Paolo Cavagna (1556-1627) and the altar-piece of the high altar attributed to Jacopo Palma il Giovane (1544-1628) deserve special mention.

TADINI PALACE
The Palace was built by count Luigi Tadini between 1821 and 1826 to house his art collection in its frescoed rooms. It’s the seat of the Academy of the Fine Arts, one of the oldest museums in Lombardy. Indeed it was opened to the public in 1828.
Stele Tadini in the chapel and the rare-sketch Religione by Antonio Canova are among the masterpieces of the museum.
The Tadini art gallery now includes a picture gallery rich in important works of the Lombard and Venetian schools from the 14th to 18th centuries and a rich collection of European and Italian porcelains.

Info: tel. +39 035.962780 - www.accademiatadini.it

SANCTUARY OF LOVERE SAINTS
The sanctuary is dedicated to Christ, King of the Virgins, and it was consecrated by the bishop of Brescia in 1938. It was built in honour of the Loverese Bartolomea Capitanio and Vincenza Gerosa, who were canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950. The mosaics and symbols along the porticoed entrance stairs represent the Beatitudes and the Works of Mercy in harmony with the charitable aims of the Congregation “Sisters of Charity” (nowadays known as “Sisters of Holy Child Mary”), which was founded in Lovere by the two saints in 1832. The Congregation spread over many countries not only in Europe, but also in Asia, America and Africa.

Info: tel. +39 035.960147

ST. CLARA’S CHURCH & FORMER ST. MARTIN’S CHURCH
The oratory, dedicated to the Bishop of Tours, was erected outside the ancient defensive wall which surrounded the village, in the “Borgo”, and along the road leading to Camonica Valley. It was built according to the will of the Monks of Tours and it now lies next to the Monastery of St. Clare of the XVI century, which hosts the cloistered daughters of St. Claire. It was later abandoned because it was too small and in 1636 the Bishop Vincenzo Giustiniani, during a pastoral visit, ordered its closure. It was restored in 1980, which allowed to save some of its artistic heritage, among which the frescoes of the apse and the holy stone of the original medieval altar.
It lies near the 9th-century A.C. St. Martin’s, which is said to be the oldest church in Lovere, and it has been housing some enclosed Poor Clare Sisters for more than 450 years. It dates back indeed to the early 1500s.

ST. MARY’ BASILICA IN VALVENDRA
The imposing St. Mary’s Basilica in Valvendra (246 x 82 ft) was built in the river-bed of a stream, the Val Vendra, from which it took its name, between 1473 and 1483, a particularly prosperous period for Lovere.
The Basilica is in Renaissance style, with Venetian influences. The interior has a nave and two aisles, divided by twelve columns, with chapels along the left side. The most valuable work of art is represented by the large panels of the organ. Its exterior exhibits an Annunciation painted by Ferramola, while its interior shows equestrian portraits of the patron saints of Brescia, painted by Antonio Bonvicino, known as “il Moretto”.

ST. JOHN’S SANCTUARY ON MOUNT CALA
St. John’s Sanctuary on mount Cala was built at the end of the 14th century probably on the remains of a Medieval fortress belonging to the noble Celery family. The church underwent a radical transformation in 1606 and has remained the same since then.
Featuring a semi-circular window facing towards the west in the upper part of the façade, the front of the Sanctuary has a fully-enclosed porch except for the arched main door with an iron gate.
Inside the church, the nave has four side altars in marble dedicated to St. Rocco, St. Carlo, St. Fermo and the Virgin of Hope. The altarpiece behind the main altar is a valuable work of art by Antonio Cifrondi from Clusone (17th century).