Sept 12, 2015
Wow! It has been over two months since I last posted! We have done so much since then and now it is time to update. Upon searching for a new place to explore, we came across a small lake between Garda and Como called Iseo. It was unknown to us and so we decided to head there. The plan was to go to three or so small towns around the lake, however, we only were able to see two before PJ was called back for one of those "work emergencies?". Anyway, what we did get to see was beautiful and I wish that we had time to return to check out the other towns.
Lago d'Iseo is located in Lombardy and is a long and narrow lake, similar to Como and Garda, but is much smaller in size. There were some Austrian/German tourists but other than that, the area was very tourist-free, which was a nice change of pace. In my opinion [secondo me], the lake isn't filled with must see sights and historical buildings, but it is the perfect place for a relaxing weekend filled with strolls on the waterfront promenades, great scenery, some hiking/bike riding, and casual ferry travel to the quaint surrounding towns.
The first place we visited was the town of Iseo, which has more of the 'tourist attractions' in the area. One of the prime sights is Monte Isola, which is located on the southern end of the lake and is considered one of the areas most striking features. There is a great view of the island from Iseo, although I think that there are probably great views of the island from many of the towns surrounding the lake. It is also Europe's largest lake island.
Iseo was developed around an old medieval village and has a central square called Piazza Garibaldi with a Garibaldi statue in the center [because it wouldn't be an Italian town if something wasn't named after/built in honor of him]. Apparently, this statue was the first Italian monument to be dedicated to Garibaldi, known as the "hero of the two worlds", and was the work of P. Bordini, a Veronese sculptor.
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| Town Hall with the clock - arch: Vantini, yr:1833 |
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| Garibaldi statue ready for the concert |
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| Frescoes over the portico |
Some other sights to see are Piazza dell Statuto, the Arsenal [dell'Arsenale also known as Palazzo dell Milizie], Chiesetta di S. Maria del Mercato, Iseo Castle, S. Maria dell Neve, Pieve di S. Andrea, Church of S. Giovanni Battista, etc.
Chiesetta di S. Maria del Mercato [below] is a 14th-century church which was once the private chapel of the Oldofredi family. Later, it was entrusted to the Minorities from the Convent of St. Francis. Restoration work on the Chiesetta happened in 1979, which found 15th century frescoes which had been covered in 1700.
The Iseo Castle [no photo] was built before 1161, but only the thick stone walls of the four towers in the corners remain from the original time. There were external walls at one time, but throughout history, and with the many different owners, those have been removed. From 1585-1797 it was a convent for the Capuchin monks.
There is a long tradition that the first stone of Pieve di S. Andrea [below] was placed by the Bishop of Brescia, St. Vigilius, who is the patron saint of Iseo. St. Vigilius took refuge in Iseo during the 6th century to escape from the barbarians. There is a 12th century Romanesque bell tower over the main doorway. To the right side of the facade is the Gothic sarcophagus of Giacomo Oldfredi.
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| Pieve di S. Andrea |
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| Pieve di S. Andrea |
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| Pieve di S. Andrea - interior |
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| Pieve di S. Andrea - interior |
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| Pieve di S. Andrea bell tower |
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| Church of S. Giovanni Battista |
The lakeside is a beautiful place to pass ones time. We walked from one side of the town to the other, passing many small streets and shops, as well as the old spinning mill. There are also great spots to sit and have a spritz while watching the ferries travel back and forth.
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| pouting |
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| Angry Swan did not like Reesey |
Our next stop was to Sarnico, which is located to the west of Iseo. It sits where the water flows out into the River Oglio towards the River Po.
We mainly walked along the lake then briefly into the pedestrian area of the centro. The views from the riverfront promenade were gorgeous and there was a pretty gazebo on one of the piers where we sat in the sun for a little while.
The centro has a medieval tower, the torretta civic, dating back to the 12th century, which now holds art exhibitions. There are also multiple churches and buildings from the 18th-century, as well as a 15th century clock tower torre dell'orologio, that has a base made of stones taken from the ruins of the original 12th-century castle that once stood in Sarnico.
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| Clock tower in the background |
Next on our agenda was Lovere, but sadly we were not able to get there.
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