Desenzano Enhances Lakeside with New Promenade Design Project

Desenzano is giving itself a new look. To achieve this, it has entrusted the project to architect Ramella, a former mayor of the city and the mastermind behind the improvements that over ten years ago transformed the town center’s appearance. The City Council has decided to commission architects Piergiuseppe and Paola Ramella for the design of the redevelopment of the city’s lakeside promenade.

Intervention on Desenzano’s lakeside promenade

This project aims to improve the entire lakeside area between the Maratona and the Desenzanino. The works, to be carried out in phases, will begin in autumn. The Garda capital is once again investing to enhance its image.

The City Council has decided to revolutionize the lakeside zone with a project intended to provide a fresh look for residents and tourists alike. The current promenade was built many decades ago, and even a layperson can see it no longer appears adequate.

The benches are old, the asphalt has become bumpy as the roots of trees underground have expanded, and part of the cliff is missing. The idea to invest in this area of the historic center has been under consideration for some time. Now, however, the time for decisions has come.

Decisions on design and construction

And the City Council recently decided to entrust the design of the Cesare Battisti lakeside redevelopment to architects Piergiuseppe and Paola Ramella. “We asked for a preliminary project covering the entire area affected by the works—from the Maratona (designed by architect Piergiuseppe Ramella himself) to the Desenzanino,” explains Mayor Felice Anelli.

“On one hand, we want a comprehensive plan to then proceed with phased implementation. Excavators are expected to be in action, hopefully, already by late September, between the Ponte alla Veneziana and the Desenzanino. The estimated cost of this first phase is about 1.250 million euros.

Then, year after year,” continues the mayor, “we will allocate additional funds to complete the entire project.” This is the decision made by the municipal administration, which is resuming investments—reiterating the beautification initiatives carried out by former Mayor Rocca, such as paving via Roma.

Certainly, the phase of transforming Garda’s capital’s look was initiated by then-Mayor Piergiuseppe Ramella. Back then, many streets and squares—such as Malvezzi Square and Matteotti Square—were paved with porphyry, replacing the older paving. The lakeside promenade from Desenzano to Rivoltella was built, along with the widened area and gardens at Spiaggia d’Oro, with landscaped gardens and flowerbeds, as notable examples of significant interventions.

Lakeside promenade improvement operations

Sirmione is also working on upgrading the Diaz lakeside promenade, but this operation faces difficulties due to the condition of the lake area. The land on the inner side of the promenade has subsided relative to the narrow lakeshore strip, raising concerns that erosion may have occurred beneath the surface over the years.

If the specialized technicians—appointed by the City Council to conduct these checks—confirm this, it would be necessary first to reinforce the subsurface before laying new paving and proceeding with the beautification project.

The possible remedies include installing new pilings or injecting cement. In any case, these measures would incur very high costs. The Administration has allocated about one billion euros in the 2023 budget to address the Diaz lakeside promenade,” explains assessor Giordano. “We want to eliminate this ugliness, so we will do what is necessary to implement the plan.”