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The Museum | |
| Brescia,
Desiderius and the Lombards The Monastery of S. Salvatore and Santa Giulia The Museum Itineraries of Brescia, Museums, Churches, Places and Monuments Itinerary Activities Informations
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The Roman Age is documented in all its aspects, both public and
private. At the time of Vespasianus, Brescia had a monumental centre with
the forum, the Capitolium, the basilica and the theatre. Plastic models,
computer stations and archaeological finds allow us to conjecture about
the buildings that housed the imposing bronzes of the museum, such as the
Winged Victory and the golden portraits of Roman emperors. The coming of the peoples of German origin such as the Goths, the
Lombards and the Carolingians marks the shift from late ancient art to
that of the early Middle Ages. Hub of the following section is the building of Santa Maria in Solario, where visitors can admire masterpieces of the treasure of the monastery: the ivory reliquary and Desiderius’s wooden cross studded with precious metals and very rare cameos.
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The visit starts
from the vaults of the monastery, once used as cellars and store-rooms,
where visitors can trace the history of the peoples living in the area of
Brescia beginning from the first settlements of the Bronze Age up to the
Roman Age. 
The most ancient finds, coming from the southern parts of the
town, date back to the third millenium BC. and they are a testimony of the
time when man acquired skill in agriculture and handicraft.
Beside the
public monuments stand the private domus. with their frescos, mosaics
(particularly remarkable are those coming from the rich residence of San
Rocchino), and household objects. This section of the museum is unique for
the presence of the remains of the Ortaglia of the monastery which is
being restored to be set in the museum route.
The urban landscape changes profoundly
after the abandonment of the monumental Roman buildings, the construction
of simple houses made of wood and mud, and the transformation of large
urban areas into cultivation.
The medieval Age, mostly the period of the Comuni, presents finds from
lost buildings. Notable are the frescos from the Broletto, the marble San
Faustino on horseback from Porta Pile and the statue-fountain of Berardo
Maggi from San Barnaba’s convent. The visit goes on with the church of
San Salvatore and the ancient refectory of the 15th century, a large room
divided into two naves by imposing columns; here visitors can find
materials coming from the monuments
