Not far from the northern Italian Lake Garda is the town of Brescia. With a Centro Storico that has a notably interesting history, impressive architecture and a wealth of churches like Santi Nazaro E Celso.

Nearby is the church of Santa Maria Dei Miracoli and the most beautiful early Gothic church in the town erected by the mendicant order of the Franciscans in the early 14th century.

The Piazza Paolo was the centre of political and also church life. Until the 19th century the Duomo Nuovo stood between the Old Cathedral and the Broletto for 200 years.

Followed by a sense of "Old Rome" with the ruins of the Capitol in the former forum and next to it the Roman theatre.

The old town is clustered around the Castello on the Cidneo hill. Legend tells that Celtic Ligurians founded a first settlement. From here the various rulers, who alternated throughout history, could control the city.

The development of the city has always been connected with the struggle for power, but Brescia survived and became a world cultural heritage in 2011