Province of Brescia

Province of Brescia Provincia di Brescia (Italian) Pruìnsa de Brèsa (Lombard)
Province
Broletto Palace, the provincial seat
Flag Coat of arms
Map highlighting the location of the province of Brescia in Italy
Coordinates: 45°38′N 10°18′E
Country	Italy
Region	Lombardy
Established	23 October 1859
Capital(s)	Brescia
Comuni	205
Government
• President	Emanuele Moraschini
Area
• Total	4,785.62 km2 (1,847.74 sq mi)
Population  (2019)
• Total	1,265,964
• Density	260/km2 (690/sq mi)
GDP
• Total	€39.322 billion (2015)
• Per capita	€36,900 (2021)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	25121-25136, 25010-25089
Telephone prefixes	030, 0364, 0365, 035
ISO 3166 code	IT-BS
Vehicle registration	BS
ISTAT	017
Website	www.provincia.brescia.it

The province of Brescia (Italian: provincia di Brescia; Brescian: pruìnsa de Brèsa) is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. It has a population of some 1,265,964 (as of January 2019) and its capital is the city of Brescia.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1951	858,243	—
1961	882,949	+2.9%
1971	957,686	+8.5%
1981	1,017,093	+6.2%
1991	1,044,544	+2.7%
2001	1,108,776	+6.1%
2011	1,238,044	+11.7%
2021	1,253,157	+1.2%
Source: ISTAT

With an area of 4,785 km², it is the biggest province of Lombardy. It is also the second province of the region for the number of inhabitants and fifth in Italy (first, excluding metropolitan cities).

It borders the province of Sondrio to the north and north west, the province of Bergamo to the west, the province of Cremona to the south west and south, the province of Mantua to the south. On its northeastern border, Lake Garda – Italy's largest – is divided between Brescia and the neighboring provinces of Verona (Veneto region) and Trentino (Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region).

The province stretches between Lake Iseo in the west, Lake Garda in the east, the Southern Rhaetian Alps in the north and the Lombardian plains in the south. The main rivers of the province are the Oglio, the Mella and the Chiese.

Besides Brescia, other important towns in the province are Travagliato, Darfo Boario Terme, Desenzano del Garda, Palazzolo sull'Oglio, Montichiari, Ghedi, Chiari, Rovato, Gussago, Rezzato, Concesio, Orzinuovi, Salò, Gardone Val Trompia and Lumezzane.

Geography

The province of Brescia is the largest in the region, boasts three main lakes, Lake Garda, Lake Iseo and Lake Idro, plus several other smaller lakes, three valleys, Val Camonica, Val Trompia and Valle Sabbia, as well as a wide flat area south of the city, known as the Bassa Bresciana, and several hilly areas surrounding the city landscape and extending eastwards towards Veneto and west to Franciacorta.

Due to the altitude and morphological variety and the presence of large lakes, the province includes all kinds of biomes in Europe: from something similar to the maquis shrubland up to the perennial snow of Adamello (with the largest glacier in the Italian Alps).

Valleys

The three main valleys on the territory of Brescia are the Val Camonica, crossed by the river Oglio and inserted in the northwestern part of the province from Adamello to Lake Iseo; Val Trompia, the river Mella basin, between the municipalities of Concesio and Collio; and the Valle Sabbia which includes the municipalities from Serle to Bagolino along the course of the river Chiese.

All the three valleys have the point of union the Croce Domini Pass, which takes the name from the "cross" formed by the union of the three basins.

Lakes

Within the province there are eight lakes. The main lake basin, in both dimensional, climatic and cultural terms, is Lake Garda, shared with the Veneto and Trentino regions, which with its 370 km² of surface is the biggest lake in Italy. Because of its size, the lake has a considerable influence on the climate and the surrounding environment, generating a micro-geographic area in a more mitigated climate both in summer and winter.

Lake Iseo is the second lake of the area, and is situated at about 180 m above sea level, in an area called Sebino, between Val Camonica (north) and Franciacorta (south), which divides the provinces of Bergamo and Brescia.

Lake Idro, the third lake within the provincial territory, is located in Valle Sabbia, on the border between Brescia and the province of Trento, and differs from the other two main lakes for its modest size. The waters of the lake are mainly exploited for the irrigation of crops in contiguous territories, as well as for the production of energy through a small power plant located in the municipality of Vobarno.

Other small lakes in the province are: Lago della Vacca (at an elevation of 2,358 m, in one of the coldest points of the province), Lago d'Arno, Lago Aviolo, Lago Baitone, Lago Moro and Lago di Valvestino.

• 
  Lake Garda
• 
  Lake Iseo with the isle of Montisola
• 
  Lake Idro
• 
  Lake Valvestino
• 
  Lake Moro and Darfo Boario Terme
• 
  Lago della Vacca

Rivers

There are about 45 watercourses crossing the territory of the province, but almost all of them are torrents. The only watercourses that can be defined as real rivers are just three: Oglio, Chiese and Mella; divided between the three main valleys.

• 
  Chiese crosses Valle Sabbia
• 
  Mella crosses Val Trompia then part of the southern countryside
• 
  Source of the river Oglio in the upper Valle Camonica
• 
  Typical ditch in Bassa Bresciana

Tonale Pass in summer

Extreme points

• Highest point: Mount Adamello, Saviore dell'Adamello (3,539 m)
• Highest settlement: Tonale Pass, Ponte di Legno (1,883 m)
• Northernmost municipality: Ponte di Legno
• Southernmost municipality: Fiesse
• Easternmost municipality: Limone sul Garda
• Westernmost municipality: Pontoglio

Main sights

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

World Heritage Sites in the province of Brescia

Rock Drawings in Valcamonica

Brescia

Prehistoric settlements around the Alps

• Rock Drawings in Valcamonica;
• Brescia, one of the places of Longobard power;
• Prehistoric settlements of Lavagnone (Desenzano del Garda), Lugana Vecchia (Sirmione), Lucone (Polpenazze del Garda), San Sivino and Gabbiano (Manerba del Garda).

Castles and fortress

There are many castles and fortress located in:

• Brescia
• Sirmione
• Lonato
• Montichiari
• Desenzano
• Breno
• Anfo
• Padenghe sul Garda
• Moniga del Garda
• Padernello
• Pozzolengo
• Carzago
• Bornato
• Drugolo
• Pontevico
• Paderno Franciacorta
• Soiano del Lago

• 
  Brescia
• 
  Sirmione
• 
  Montichiari
• 
  Padernello
• 
  Breno
• 
  Anfo

• 
  Lonato
• 
  Moniga del Garda
• 
  Montisola

Other sights

• Lake Garda, Lake Iseo and Lake Idro;
• Stelvio National Park;
• Adamello Regional Park;
• Alto Garda Bresciano Regional Park;
• Torbiere del Sebino Natural Reserve;
• Earth pyramids of Zone Natural Reserve;
• I Borghi più belli d'Italia: Bienno, Gardone Riviera, Montisola and Tremosine;
• Grandi Giardini Italiani: Vittoriale degli Italiani, Isola del Garda, Giardino Botanico Andrè Heller, Le Vigne di Bellavista - Franciacorta;
• Natural monuments of Buco del Frate, Altopiano di Cariadeghe, Baluton and Masso del Permico;
• Ski resorts of Ponte di Legno, Temù and Montecampione in Valcamonica;
• Franciacorta wine region;
• Grottoes of Catullus.

• 
  Mount Adamello
• 
  The natural reserve of Torbiere del Sebino
• 
  Strada della Forra in Tremosine
• 
  Villa Borghese-Cavazza on the Isola del Garda
• 
  Vineyards in Franciacorta

• 
  Earth pyramids of Zone
• 
  Vittoriale degli Italiani
• 
  Alto Garda Bresciano Regional Park
• 
  Adamello Regional Park
• 
  Grottoes of Catullus

Government

Broletto Palace in Brescia is also the seat of the prefecture

The Province of Brescia is an administrative body of intermediate level between a municipality (comune) and Lombardy region.

The three main functions devolved to the province of Brescia are:

• local planning and zoning;
• provision of local police and fire services;
• transportation regulation (car registration, maintenance of local roads, etc.).

As an administrative institution, the province of Brescia has its own elected bodies. From 1945 to 1995 the President of the province of Brescia was chosen by the members of the Provincial Council, elected every five years by citizens. From 1995 to 2014, under provisions of the 1993 local administration reform, the President of the Province was chosen by popular election, originally every four, then every five years.

On 3 April 2014, the Italian Chamber of Deputies gave its final approval to the Law n.56/2014 which involves the transformation of the Italian provinces into "institutional bodies of second level". According to the 2014 reform, each province is headed by a President (or Commissioner) assisted by a legislative body, the Provincial Council, and an executive body, the Provincial Executive. President (Commissioner) and members of Council are elected together by mayors and city councilors of each municipality of the province respectively every four and two years. The Executive is chaired by the President (Commissioner) who appoint others members, called assessori. Since 2015, the President (Commissioner) and other members of the Council do not receive a salary.

In each province, there is also a Prefect (prefetto), a representative of the central government who heads an agency called prefettura-ufficio territoriale del governo. The Questor (questore) is the head of State's Police (Polizia di Stato) in the province and his office is called questura. There is also a province's police force depending from local government, called provincial police (polizia provinciale).

This is a list of the Presidents of the Province since 1945:

President	Term start	Term end		Party
Arturo Reggio	19 May 1945	28 May 1951		PLI
Ercoliano Bazoli	28 May 1951	10 May 1970		DC
Mino Martinazzoli	10 May 1970	22 June 1972		DC
Tarcisio Gitti	22 June 1972	15 May 1975		DC
Bruno Boni	15 May 1975	12 June 1985		DC
Vittorio Marniga	12 June 1985	30 November 1987		PSI
Costanzo Valli	30 November 1987	8 May 1995		PSI
Andrea Lepidi	8 May 1995	28 June 1999		PPI
Alberto Cavalli	28 June 1999	8 June 2009		FI
Daniele Molgora	8 June 2009	13 October 2014		LN
Pier Luigi Mottinelli	13 October 2014	2 November 2018		PD
Samuele Alghisi	2 November 2018	30 January 2023		PD
Emanuele Moraschini	30 January 2023	Incumbent		Ind

Notes

Comuni

Map showing the 205 municipalities of the province of Brescia

Map showing the zones of the province

Here is a list of the most populated comuni (municipalities) of the province.

Rank	Municipality	Population as of 1 January 2024	Area (km2)	Density (inhabitants/km2)	Altitude (mslm)
1st	Brescia	198,688	90.68	2191.1	149
2nd	Desenzano del Garda	29,251	60.1	486.7	67
3rd	Montichiari	26,367	81.19	324.8	108
4th	Lumezzane	21,576	31.52	684.5	460
5th	Palazzolo sull'Oglio	20,264	23.06	878.8	166
6th	Rovato	19,477	26.1	746.2	192
7th	Chiari	19,348	38.02	508.9	145
8th	Ghedi	18,546	60.76	312.1	85
9th	Lonato del Garda	17,009	70.5	241.3	188
10th	Gussago	16,597	25.02	663.3	190

Subsequently, a list of the municipalities divided into their geographical zone (municipalities with more than 15,000 inhabitants are in bold):

• Capital city area: Brescia, Borgosatollo, Botticino, Bovezzo, Collebeato, Concesio, Gussago, Nave, Rezzato, Roncadelle.
• Franciacorta: Rovato, Palazzolo sull'Oglio, Adro, Cellatica, Capriolo, Coccaglio, Erbusco, Cazzago San Martino, Passirano, Paderno Franciacorta, Castegnato, Rodengo Saiano, Ome, Monticelli Brusati, Polaveno.
• Lake Iseo: Iseo, Marone, Monte Isola, Paratico, Pisogne, Provaglio d'Iseo, Sale Marasino, Sulzano, Zone.
• Val Camonica: Darfo Boario Terme, Angolo Terme, Artogne, Berzo Demo, Berzo Inferiore, Bienno, Borno, Braone, Breno, Capo di Ponte, Cedegolo, Cerveno, Ceto, Cevo, Cimbergo, Cividate Camuno, Corteno Golgi, Edolo, Esine, Gianico, Incudine, Losine, Lozio, Malegno, Malonno, Monno, Niardo, Ono San Pietro, Ossimo, Paisco Loveno, Paspardo, Pian Camuno, Piancogno, Pisogne, Ponte di Legno, Saviore dell'Adamello, Sellero, Sonico, Temù, Vezza d'Oglio, Vione.
• Val Trompia: Lumezzane, Sarezzo, Gardone Val Trompia, Villa Carcina, Marcheno, Bovegno, Collio, Caino, Lodrino, Pezzaze, Tavernole sul Mella, Marmentino, Irma.
• Valle Sabbia: Gavardo, Vobarno, Prevalle, Villanuova sul Clisi, Roè Volciano, Vestone, Bagolino, Sabbio Chiese, Serle, Muscoline, Odolo, Paitone, Idro, Casto, Agnosine, Preseglie, Bione, Vallio Terme, Barghe, Provaglio Val Sabbia, Mura, Pertica Bassa, Lavenone, Pertica Alta, Treviso Bresciano, Anfo, Capovalle, Nuvolera, Nuvolento.
• Lake Garda: Desenzano del Garda, Lonato del Garda, Gardone Riviera, Gargnano, Limone sul Garda, Manerba del Garda, Moniga del Garda, Padenghe sul Garda, Salò, San Felice del Benaco, Sirmione, Tignale, Toscolano Maderno, Tremosine, Soiano del Lago, Polpenazze del Garda, Calvagese della Riviera, Puegnago del Garda, Pozzolengo.
• Bassa Bresciana: Montichiari, Ghedi, Chiari, Acquafredda, Bagnolo Mella, Bedizzole, Mazzano, Calcinato, Calvisano, Carpenedolo, Castenedolo, Fiesse, Flero, Gambara, Gottolengo, Isorella, Leno, Montirone, Poncarale, Remedello, Visano, Berlingo, Castelcovati, Castel Mella, Castrezzato, Comezzano-Cizzago, Maclodio, Orzinuovi, Orzivecchi, Pompiano, Pontoglio, Roccafranca, Rudiano, Travagliato, Trenzano, Urago d'Oglio, Villachiara, Ospitaletto, San Zeno Naviglio, Azzano Mella, Pavone del Mella, Capriano del Colle, Borgo San Giacomo, Cigole, Mairano, Dello, Pralboino, Verolanuova, Verolavecchia, San Gervasio Bresciano, Manerbio, Lograto, Quinzano d'Oglio, Pontevico, Longhena, Offlaga, Barbariga, Berlingo, Torbole Casaglia, Alfianello, San Paolo, Brandico, Seniga.

Municipal government

Here is a list of the municipal government in cities and towns with more than 15,000 inhabitants:

Municipality	Mayor		Party	Executive	Term
Brescia	Laura Castelletti		Ind	PD • SI • A • EV	2023–2028
Desenzano del Garda	Guido Malinverno		FI	FI • LN • FdI	2022–2027
Montichiari	Marco Togni		LN	FI • LN • FdI	2024–2029
Lumezzane	Josehf Facchini		LN	FI • LN • FdI	2024–2029
Palazzolo sull'Oglio	Gianmarco Cossandi		PD	PD • Ind	2022–2027
Rovato	Tiziano Belotti		LN	FI • LN • FdI	2020–2025
Chiari	Gabriele Zotti		LN	FI • LN • FdI	2024–2029
Ghedi	Federico Casali		LN	FI • LN • FdI	2024–2029
Gussago	Giovanni Coccoli		Ind	Ind	2022–2027
Lonato del Garda	Roberto Tardani		FI	FI • LN • FdI	2020–2025
Concesio	Agostino Damiolini		LN	FI • LN • FdI	2024–2029
Darfo Boario Terme	Dario Colossi		Ind	Ind	2022–2027

Gallery

• 
  Desenzano del Garda
• 
  Lumezzane
• 
  Montichiari
• 
  Palazzolo sull'Oglio
• 
  Rovato
• 
  Lonato del Garda

• 
  Sirmione
• 
  Salò
• 
  Iseo
• 
  Ponte di Legno

Further reading

• Carlo Cocchetti (1859): Brescia e sua provincia ([1])

See also

• Pope Paul VI (pope from 1963 to his death in 1978) – born in Concesio, Brescia

External links

• Official website
• Brescia Tourism official site: useful information, guide destination and hotel, airport
• Scoprire Brescia e la sua provincia