Moniga del Garda
HISTORY OF MONIGA DEL GARDA
The ancient town of Moniga del Garda, famous for its wine “Vino chiaretto” is closed in its fortress. The castle was built in the 9th. century in defence of the inhabitants against Hungarian incursions. Well preserved its main tower “mastio”, a long high wall of more than 280 m. and seven middle towers. The main tower today is used like bell tower for the actual parish church, the rural houses inside are habited.
ARTS
In the little town of Moniga del Garda you can find “Villa Brunati-Bertanza“, a solid building of the 16th. century with a massive entrance and a large court. It was completely restored in the 18th. century, a historical masterpiece of the senator Pompeo Molmetti of Venezia.A short visit merits the little church San Sivino in a charming position on the bank of the lake.
ATTRACTIONS
The finest island of the lake, “Isola del Garda” fell under the reign of the Commune San Felice del Benaco. They tell, that in springtime of 1221 San Francesco built a “romitorio“, a little convent. On this island San Bernardino di Sienna spent some days in 1421, followed by Sant’Antonio and perhaps by Dante Alighieri. In 1870 the island passed under the rule of Gaetano Ferrari of Genova, who edified the wonderful villa by plans of the famous architect Luigi Roverelli, in Gothic Venetian style. Today the island, its villa and its beautiful park with romantic little brooks and bridges, has become the habitat of a lot of water birds. It’s a private ownership of the “Conti Cavazza di Bolgona”. Nearby the coast, in front of “Isola del Garda” there is the church San Fermo of the 14th century, surrounded by hundreds of oaks and cypresses.
San Felice del Benaco, in the background of the lake, keeps the characteristics of an agricultural village. More on the southern side we reach “Santuario della Madonna del Carmine“, a wonderful sanctuary. Madonna della Carmine is the saint-patron of the Valtenesi. Today here live the friars “Carmelitani”, in the church we can admire wonderful frescoes of the 15th. and 16th. century, by scholars of the famous artists Mantega and del Foppa. Innumerable saints are painted on the walls, San Sebastiano and San Rocco, Antonio Abate, saint patron of domestic animals, the friar Sant’Alberto with his 14 disciples, Our lady with child with the two saints San Biago and San Fermo, especially famous in Valtenesi and at least Santa Lucia our Italian Santa Claus.
