In Lonato del Garda, the Ugo Da Como Foundation celebrates its exceptional archival heritage with two days dedicated to culture and historical architecture. The initiative, scheduled for October 11 and 12, 2025, offers a unique opportunity to explore the Foundation’s Archives for free and marks the inauguration of a new exhibition focused on the Lake Garda at the turn of the two centuries. These events highlight the importance of the Foundation as a true “Citadel of Culture” within the Brescia and Benaco context, particularly emphasizing the figure of Antonio Tagliaferri, a prominent architect. The Prestigious Tagliaferri Donation and the Archival Heritage Fifteen years ago, in 2010, the Ugo Da Como Foundation received the Archive of Antonio and Giovanni Tagliaferri, Brescia professionals who shaped Lombard architecture between the 19th and 20th centuries. Since then, the complex work of organizing and enhancing this vast material (which includes thousands of drawings, letters, printed volumes, and period photographs) has continued, thanks in part to an agreement with the University of Brescia. This legacy has added to the already considerable heritage left by Senator Ugo Da Como, which includes an extraordinary library of over 52,000 titles, fully accessible to scholars and researchers. Extraordinary Opening and Free Guided Tours To highlight this valuable heritage, the Ugo Da Como Foundation will open the Archive spaces to the public on October 11 and 12. Volunteers from the Friends of the Foundation Association will guide visitors through the areas that house not only the founder’s archive but also the documents of the Tagliaferri family and the Reading Room, adorned with frescoes created in 1932 by the painter Gaetano Cresseri. The guided tours are estimated to last about 40 minutes, and admission is completely free. Due to limited availability, reservations are mandatory by contacting 0309130060 or writing to prenotazioni@fondazioneugodacomo.it. Inauguration: “The Garda fin de siècle. Documents, Drawings, and Projects by Antonio Tagliaferri” The highlight will be the inauguration of the exhibition “The Garda fin de siècle. Documents, Drawings, and Projects by Antonio Tagliaferri”, which will take place in the Captain’s Hall of the Rocca on Sunday, October 12 at 3 PM. The exhibition, which will be open until January 18, features a selection of drawings illustrating Antonio Tagliaferri’s major interventions in the Benaco area, often linked to the figure of Giuseppe Zanardelli. Among the showcased projects are the construction of the Zanardelli Villa in Fasano, the work for Giovanni Battista Bellini’s Villa in Salò, and the crucial redevelopment of the lakeside in Salò, necessitated by the earthquake of 1901. This seismic event indeed required the adoption of a plan for the safety and renewal of the town’s image. The exhibition also delves into the professional relationship between the architect and Giuseppe Zanardelli, a highly influential political figure of the time. Celebrations Continue: “Arnaldo” Exhibition Simultaneously, and also open until January 18, 2026, the Foundation hosts the exhibition “Arnaldo in the Work of Odoardo Tabacchi and Antonio Tagliaferri”. This exhibition is part of the Brescia celebrations dedicated to Arnaldo da Brescia, retracing the long and debated creation of the 19th-century public monument dedicated to him, a project strongly supported by Giuseppe Zanardelli. The exhibition is elegantly set up within the spaces of the Ugo Da Como house-museum. Italian Version
Lonato del Garda: Visits to the Archives and the “Garda fin de siècle”
