Visconti Palace, Brignano Gera d'Adda

Visconti Palace (Palazzo Visconti) is the highlight and one of the oldest buildings of the municipality of Brignano Gera d'Adda. This is a medieval fortified building, which for many years was the residence of a rich noble family. The Palazzo had not only a fortification purpose, but it is an example of the most beautiful architecture that had survived through the ages to modern times.

History of the Palazzo Visconti

The first mention of the castle dates back to 1019, when the local ruler transferred the village of Brignano to the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Cremona. At that time, the political situation was extremely unstable, which raised the question of the construction of fortifications. At that time the construction of the castle, completed by the end of the 11th century, was started. In 1186, after the confinement of the Peace of Constance, the German emperor gave up the villages of Brignano and Gera d'Adda to the Milan family of Visconti. The noble family firmly held the castle in their hands during constant wars and unrest in the Middle Ages. Only in 1734 the palace was selected, but after 2 years Visconti returned their property. In 1859, the last Emperor of France Napoleon III stayed here. And in 1892, 800 years later, the line of descendants of the Visconti family terminated when the last of its representatives, Antonietta Visconti Sauli, died.

In 1899 the palace was bought by Don Pietro Aresi, who created a kindergarten next year, and soon a orphanage. In 1918, after the First World War, an army unit was stationed in the castle for some time. The orphanage existed in the building until 1971. In 1954, the first restoration was carried out, affecting the façade. In 1981, the interior was restored, including the old frescoes. And in 2003 the last, the most large-scale reconstruction was carries out, which restored a beautiful and luxurious exterior of the castle.

Architecture of the palace

The entire palace complex consists of three parts, successively flowing and connecting with each other. The smallest and at the same time the oldest is the core of the old castle. In the past it carried only protective functions, and its last fortifications were completed in the 13th and 14th centuries. Initially, the whole village of Brignano was surrounded by fortress walls, but after the arrival of the Visconti family here, the latter began to pay more attention to their residence and they turned it into a castle. With time, the castle began to turn into a real palace, and this transformation was marked by the following two buildings:

1. Palazzo Vecchio. Built in the 16th century, the Old Palace developed the continuity of the fortified structure. It was made in the characteristic style of Mannerism, and has an L-shaped structure with two wings. The central entrance leads from the village road to the courtyard, which has porticos with square columns. Further there is a courtyard of honor with a quadrangular portico and a loggia. The interior of the palazzo is designed mainly in the Rococo style. There are many frescoes from the 17th and 18th centuries in the rooms on the first and main floors, which illustrate ancient myths, as well as the history of the Visconti clan. In the largest halls, Sala del Trono and Sala dell'Innominato, there are ancient wooden ceilings and marble columns, that had appeared here later. Now the Town Hall and City Hall are in the Old Palace.
2. Palazzo Nuovo. The new palace was built in the 18th century by the architect Giovanni Ruggeri, combining the previous parts of the castle and completely turning it into a palace. It moved away from the fortified structure of older brothers and became more airy. The Palazzo has three wings. A beautiful turret with a clock towers in the center, and in the western part – a spire that is crowned with the private room – beautiful panoramic place. The interior is richly decorated with ornaments, frescoes of famous 18th-century artists and marble statues. In the courtyard there is a beautiful garden with lush vegetation and a fountain in the center, as well as 2 coffee houses, built in Rococo style.

The entire cycle of frescoes of the estate is unique for the entire Lombardy region, and is characterized by the complexity of implementation. Now many other events are held on the territory of the palace complex, except for excursions. These are seminars and conferences, music concerts and festivals, as well as historical reconstructions.

How to get there

The palace is located in the region of Lombardy in the north of Italy, in the town of Brignano Gera d'Adda, Via Vittorio Emanuele II. The nearest major city, Bergamo, is 20 km to the north. Buses of the route U regularly run from its Terminal SAB bus station, to the municipality. The final stop in the town is situated in a 5 minutes walk from the castle. If you are traveling by car, from Bergamo take the SP149 road towards Spiralo, where you can take the road SP121 and follow the signs toBrignano.

For detailed information about the visit, as well as for booking of the excursion, you can call (+39) 347 2235758.