Five kilometres inland from Desenzano, Lonato is dominated by a large medieval fortress which has a magnificent view over Garda.
The medieval podesta’s house stands inside the fortress which was rebuilt in 1910 in neo-Gothic style and fitted out with furnishings of that period. It is also office of the Ugo da Como Foundation and there are an art gallery and a library holding over 50.000 volumes and hundreds of precious incunabula, codices and illuminated manuscripts.
Finally, it also houses the Ornithological Museum. The 18th century Cathedral has works by Andrea Celesti and Bernardino Licinio and the church della Vergine del Corlo (14th century) has paintings by Marone and Moretto. Nearby there is the Abbey of Maguzzano which was destroyed in 922 by the Hungarian tribe and rebuilt between the 12th and 15th centuries.
Photo: korom
