Padenghe’s Archaeological Discoveries Boost Valtenesi Tourism and Heritage
“Knowing to Enhance” was the theme of the workshop held on Saturday, September 15th, in Padenghe sul Garda. “Sant’Emiliano, Gateway to the Garda Cultural Heritage,” was the subtitle of this event during which various archaeological findings of utmost importance were analyzed — findings that “interest not only Padenghe but also the entire Valtenesi and neighboring localities,” stated the mayor of Padenghe, Giancarlo Allegri, during his heartfelt greeting, which was particularly emotional as he paused for a minute of silence with all present, over a hundred people standing.
Numerous and qualified interventions, coordinated by Carlo Simoni, began with Giampietro Brogiolo, the leading expert in Garda archaeology and beyond, president of the “Federazione delle Associazioni Gardesane Cultura – Ambiente” (Garda Cultural-Environmental Associations Federation).
The discovery of the frescoes and the interventions
The unexpected surprise came during the presentation “Sant’Emiliano: A Proposal for Recovery,” with Giancarlo Quaglio among the speakers — head of the INCRES Institute (which specializes in the restoration and conservation of historical buildings). During his speech, he announced the discovery made a couple of days earlier, during consolidation work on the interior part of Sant’Emiliano’s walls, of a section of fresco depicting the face of a saint dated to the 1200s.
At this stage, it is difficult to identify the three saints revealed after careful removal of the centuries-old mortar layers. For now, these are only hypotheses, which we report for the record and possibly subject to future corrections. The 1200s painting could be the face of Saint Francis, and the current goal is to determine if one of the hands holds a bird; the second might be Saint Michael, and the third a Virgin Mary, possibly Saint Mary Magdalene.
Importance and future initiatives
This is a very significant discovery — one of the few of its kind in the Brescia Garda area, following others already made in recent months, which also depicted the faces of saints and date back to the 1300s and 1400s.
Another key update from this scientific-educational meeting concerns the realization, often mentioned but little developed, of some paths or, more precisely, “tourist-cultural routes in Valtenesi” and historical-environmental routes and Romanesque architecture.
This offering not only enhances tourism and cultural appeal but also introduces an innovative approach within the tourism sector. Along these routes, it could be possible to include typical rural and refreshment places, enriching the experience.
The most frequented and interesting locations could be, besides Padenghe, Sant’Emiliano, and Castello.
Future prospects include archaeological remains of the vast Roman villa and the possible identification of the Roman port and “salt” site. Additionally, locations such as Lake Lucone and San Pietro in Lucone in Polpenazze, San Quirico in Muscoline, the lakes of Sovenigo, Lonato, and the Church of San Zeno, the Maguzzano Abbey, Pontenove, Villa di Salò, among others, are of significant interest.
