Lonato’s 43rd Agriculture Fair and Historical Rocca Museum Tour

The fair is one of the most prestigious occasions for Lonato to showcase its rich architectural, artistic, and historical heritage. This year will be no different, from tomorrow until Sunday, for the 43rd edition of the agricultural and craft exhibition.

The Rocca of Lonato

Among the cultural sites, the Rocca is undoubtedly one of the most important and imposing structures in Lombardy. In 1929, for 50,000 lire, Senator Ugo da Como purchased the entire historic defensive structure to create, together with the Casa del Podestà, which houses the foundation named after him, a unified museum complex.

The Rocca forms a large terrace overlooking the lake, offering a view of the Benaco on one side and the plains on the other from its walls. The structure has remained the same since it was conferred by the Visconti family between the 14th and 15th centuries. It stayed in their hands until 1403, and during their rule, the dukes of Milan promoted renovation and consolidation works.

The earliest records held by historians refer to a defensive military structure dating back to 909, during the reign of Berengario I, King of Italy and later Emperor, who was assassinated in Verona by a vassal. In more recent times, in the summer of 1796, during the First Italian Campaign, the Rocca and the surrounding area were the site of a bloody clash between Napoleon, commander of the French troops, and the artillery forces of General Quosdanovich.

On that occasion, the transalpine cavalry led by General Augereau, through a series of charges, drove the enemy away. After Lonato, Napoleon achieved a series of stunning victories against the Austrians.

Architecture and Museum

From an architectural military perspective, the Rocca features a Guelph-type battlement, while the base is divided into two sections on different levels: the Rocchetta at the top and the Main District at the bottom.

In the “Casa del Castellano“, parallel to the “Rocchetta“, is the Municipal Ornithological Museum, which contains many specimens of stuffed birds.

The Rocca is not far from the fair, and therefore, visitors should consider exploring both the Rocca and the Casa del Podestà, which houses a prestigious museum.

Sandro Albertini