Ugo Da Como Foundation — Lonato
Lonato del Garda
Fifty thousand volumes and centuries of art inside the Rocca di Lonato: the Ugo Da Como Foundation — library and picture gallery within medieval walls.
A Monument on the Hill
At the summit of the hill that overlooks Lonato del Garda, the Rocca Viscontea and the Casa del Podestà form a unique monumental complex, now home to the Ugo Da Como Foundation. Senator Ugo Da Como from Brescia (1869-1941), a bibliophile, collector, and prominent political figure in liberal Italy, purchased and restored both buildings in the early decades of the twentieth century, transforming them into his residence and the headquarters of a collection that at his death contained over 50,000 volumes and thousands of works of art.
The Rocca and Its Medieval Heritage
The Rocca, of medieval design but remodeled by the Visconti in the 14th century and by the Venetians in the 15th, preserves crenellated walls, corner towers, and a perimeter walkway from which you can enjoy views stretching from Lake Garda to the Brescia plain. The internal courtyard houses an Italian-style hanging garden, with boxwood hedges, antique roses, and a stone well that seems frozen in time.
The Casa del Podestà: Collections and Treasures
The Casa del Podestà, connected to the Rocca by a covered passageway, is the heart of the Foundation. The rooms, furnished with Renaissance and Baroque furniture, house the library — 50,000 volumes including incunabula, sixteenth-century editions, illuminated manuscripts, and rare editions — and the art collections: paintings from Brescia and Venetian schools, sculptures, ceramics, bladed weapons, and a notable collection of medals and coins. Among the most precious pieces are a 1487 edition of Dante’s Divine Comedy, a fifteenth-century illuminated missal on parchment, and autographed letters from Italian historical figures. The library is available for consultation by appointment for scholars and researchers.
Visiting Information and Hours
The Foundation organizes guided tours, concerts, temporary exhibitions, and educational workshops. The complex is open on weekends and holidays from March to October, with guided tours every hour. It is reached from the center of Lonato by a short walk uphill. The ticket includes access to the Rocca, the Casa del Podestà, and the garden. A complete visit requires approximately 90 minutes.
