Province of Brescia

Geography

The province of Brescia is the largest in the region, boasts three main lakes, Lake Garda, Lake Iseo and Lake Idro, plus several other smaller lakes, three valleys, Val Camonica, Val Trompia and Valle Sabbia, as well as a wide flat area south of the city, known as the Bassa Bresciana, and several hilly areas surrounding the city landscape and extending eastwards towards Veneto and west to Franciacorta.

Due to the altitude and morphological variety and the presence of large lakes, the province includes all kinds of biomes in Europe: from something similar to the maquis shrubland up to the perennial snow of Adamello (with the largest glacier in the Italian Alps).

Valleys

The three main valleys on the territory of Brescia are the Val Camonica, crossed by the river Oglio and inserted in the northwestern part of the province from Adamello to Lake Iseo; Val Trompia, the river Mella basin, between the comuni (municipalities) of Concesio and Collio; and the Valle Sabbia which includes the comuni from Serle to Bagolino along the course of the river Chiese.

All the three valleys have the point of union the Croce Domini Pass, which takes the name from the "cross" formed by the union of the three basins.

Lakes

Within the province there are eight lakes. The main lake basin, in both dimensional, climatic and cultural terms, is Lake Garda, shared with the Veneto and Trentino regions, which with its 370 km2 of surface is the biggest lake in Italy. Because of its size, the lake has a considerable influence on the climate and the surrounding environment, generating a micro-geographic area in a more mitigated climate both in summer and winter.

Lake Iseo is the second lake of the area, and is situated at about 180 m above sea level, in an area called Sebino, between Val Camonica (north) and Franciacorta (south), which divides the provinces of Bergamo and Brescia.

Lake Idro, the third lake within the provincial territory, is located in Valle Sabbia, on the border between Brescia and the province of Trento, and differs from the other two main lakes for its modest size. The waters of the lake are mainly exploited for the irrigation of crops in contiguous territories, as well as for the production of energy through a small power plant located in the comune of Vobarno.

Other small lakes in the province are: Lago della Vacca (at an elevation of 2,358 m, in one of the coldest points of the province), Lago d'Arno, Lago Aviolo, Lago Baitone, Lago Moro and Lago di Valvestino. File:La Rocca di Manerba del Garda con l'isola dei Conigli.jpg|Lake Garda File:Panorama sul Lago d'Iseo - panoramio.jpg|Lake Iseo with the isle of Montisola File:Cima Crench - Aussicht auf den Idrosee2.jpg|Lake Idro File:Lago di Valvestino 005.JPG|Lake Valvestino File:Lago Moro - Darfo Boario Terme (Foto Luca Giarelli).jpg|Lake Moro and Darfo Boario Terme File:Lago della Vacca 1.jpg|Lago della Vacca

Rivers

There are about 45 watercourses crossing the territory of the province, but almost all of them are torrents. The only watercourses that can be defined as real rivers are just three: Oglio, Chiese and Mella; divided between the three main valleys. File:Pompegnino di Vobarno ex ponte ferroviario sul fiume Chiese 2008.jpg|Chiese crosses Valle Sabbia File:Fiume Mella presso Offlaga (2008).jpg|Mella crosses Val Trompia then part of the southern countryside File:Nascita del fiume Oglio - Ponte di Legno (ph Luca Giarelli).jpg|Source of the river Oglio in the upper Valle Camonica File:Il fiume Gambara.jpg|Typical ditch in Bassa Bresciana File:Passo Tonale summer.jpg|Tonale Pass in summer

Extreme points

• Highest point: Mount Adamello, Saviore dell'Adamello (3,539 m)
• Highest settlement: Tonale Pass, Ponte di Legno (1,883 m)
• Northernmost municipality: Ponte di Legno
• Southernmost municipality: Fiesse
• Easternmost municipality: Limone sul Garda
• Westernmost municipality: Pontoglio

Demographics

Government

The province of Brescia is an administrative body of intermediate level between a comune (municipality) and Lombardy region.

The three main functions devolved to the province of Brescia are:

• local planning and zoning;
• provision of local police and fire services;
• transportation regulation (car registration, maintenance of local roads, etc.).

As an administrative institution, the province of Brescia has its own elected bodies. From 1945 to 1995 the President of the province of Brescia was chosen by the members of the Provincial Council, elected every five years by citizens. From 1995 to 2014, under provisions of the 1993 local administration reform, the President of the Province was chosen by popular election, originally every four, then every five years.

On 3 April 2014, the Italian Chamber of Deputies gave its final approval to the Law n.56/2014 which involves the transformation of the Italian provinces into "institutional bodies of second level". According to the 2014 reform, each province is headed by a President (or Commissioner) assisted by a legislative body, the Provincial Council, and an executive body, the Provincial Executive. President (Commissioner) and members of Council are elected together by mayors and city councilors of each municipality of the province respectively every four and two years. The Executive is chaired by the President (Commissioner) who appoint others members, called assessori. Since 2015, the President (Commissioner) and other members of the Council do not receive a salary.

In each province, there is also a Prefect (prefetto), a representative of the central government who heads an agency called prefettura-ufficio territoriale del governo. The Questor (questore) is the head of State's Police (Polizia di Stato) in the province and his office is called questura. There is also a province's police force depending from local government, called provincial police (polizia provinciale).

This is a list of the presidents of the province since 1945:

;Notes

Municipalities

Main article: List of municipalities of the Province of Brescia

The municipalities divided into their geographical zone (municipalities with more than 15,000 inhabitants are in bold) are listed below:

• Capital city area: Brescia, Borgosatollo, Botticino, Bovezzo, Collebeato, Concesio, Gussago, Nave, Rezzato, Roncadelle.
• Franciacorta: Rovato, Palazzolo sull'Oglio, Adro, Cellatica, Capriolo, Coccaglio, Erbusco, Cazzago San Martino, Passirano, Paderno Franciacorta, Castegnato, Rodengo Saiano, Ome, Monticelli Brusati, Polaveno.
• Lake Iseo: Iseo, Marone, Monte Isola, Paratico, Pisogne, Provaglio d'Iseo, Sale Marasino, Sulzano, Zone.
• Val Camonica: Darfo Boario Terme, Angolo Terme, Artogne, Berzo Demo, Berzo Inferiore, Bienno, Borno, Braone, Breno, Capo di Ponte, Cedegolo, Cerveno, Ceto, Cevo, Cimbergo, Cividate Camuno, Corteno Golgi, Edolo, Esine, Gianico, Incudine, Losine, Lozio, Malegno, Malonno, Monno, Niardo, Ono San Pietro, Ossimo, Paisco Loveno, Paspardo, Pian Camuno, Piancogno, Pisogne, Ponte di Legno, Saviore dell'Adamello, Sellero, Sonico, Temù, Vezza d'Oglio, Vione.
• Val Trompia: Lumezzane, Sarezzo, Gardone Val Trompia, Villa Carcina, Marcheno, Bovegno, Collio, Caino, Lodrino, Pezzaze, Tavernole sul Mella, Marmentino, Irma.
• Valle Sabbia: Gavardo, Vobarno, Prevalle, Villanuova sul Clisi, Roè Volciano, Vestone, Bagolino, Sabbio Chiese, Serle, Muscoline, Odolo, Paitone, Idro, Casto, Agnosine, Preseglie, Bione, Vallio Terme, Barghe, Provaglio Val Sabbia, Mura, Pertica Bassa, Lavenone, Pertica Alta, Treviso Bresciano, Anfo, Capovalle, Nuvolera, Nuvolento.
• Lake Garda: Desenzano del Garda, Lonato del Garda, Gardone Riviera, Gargnano, Limone sul Garda, Manerba del Garda, Moniga del Garda, Padenghe sul Garda, Salò, San Felice del Benaco, Sirmione, Tignale, Toscolano Maderno, Tremosine, Soiano del Lago, Polpenazze del Garda, Calvagese della Riviera, Puegnago del Garda, Pozzolengo.
• Bassa Bresciana: Montichiari, Ghedi, Chiari, Acquafredda, Bagnolo Mella, Bedizzole, Mazzano, Calcinato, Calvisano, Carpenedolo, Castenedolo, Fiesse, Flero, Gambara, Gottolengo, Isorella, Leno, Montirone, Poncarale, Remedello, Visano, Berlingo, Castelcovati, Castel Mella, Castrezzato, Comezzano-Cizzago, Maclodio, Orzinuovi, Orzivecchi, Pompiano, Pontoglio, Roccafranca, Rudiano, Travagliato, Trenzano, Urago d'Oglio, Villachiara, Ospitaletto, San Zeno Naviglio, Azzano Mella, Pavone del Mella, Capriano del Colle, Borgo San Giacomo, Cigole, Mairano, Dello, Pralboino, Verolanuova, Verolavecchia, San Gervasio Bresciano, Manerbio, Lograto, Quinzano d'Oglio, Pontevico, Longhena, Offlaga, Barbariga, Berlingo, Torbole Casaglia, Alfianello, San Paolo, Brandico, Seniga.

Municipal government

Here is a list of the municipal government in cities and towns with more than 15,000 inhabitants:

Gallery

File:Desenzano del Garda 1 (14579425125).jpg|Desenzano del Garda File:Foto di Lumezzane .jpg|Lumezzane File:Montichiari duomo e piazza Conte Treccani.jpg|Montichiari File:Palazzolo2778.jpg|Palazzolo sull'Oglio File:Porticato di piazza Cavour - Rovato (Foto Luca Giarelli).jpg|Rovato File:Lonato Italia.jpg|Lonato del Garda File:Italy - Sirmione.jpg|Sirmione File:Abend an der Küste von Salo.jpg|Salò File:Iseo 2.jpg|Iseo File:PONTE DI LEGNO - SULLO SFONDO IL CASTELLACCIO - panoramio.jpg|Ponte di Legno

Main sights

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

• Rock Drawings in Valcamonica;
• Brescia, one of the places of Longobard power;
• Prehistoric settlements of Lavagnone (Desenzano del Garda), Lugana Vecchia (Sirmione), Lucone (Polpenazze del Garda), San Sivino and Gabbiano (Manerba del Garda).

Castles and fortress

There are many castles and fortress located in:

• Brescia
• Sirmione
• Lonato
• Montichiari
• Desenzano
• Breno
• Anfo
• Padenghe sul Garda
• Moniga del Garda
• Padernello
• Pozzolengo
• Carzago
• Bornato
• Drugolo
• Pontevico
• Paderno Franciacorta
• Soiano del Lago File:Castello di Brescia, l'ingresso alla cinta viscontea (5437915503).jpg|Brescia File:SirmioneCastle.jpg|Sirmione File:Montichiari castello Bonoris.jpg|Montichiari File:Castello padernello.jpg|Padernello File:Castle in Breno Valcamonica.jpg|Breno File:2018-08-05-Rocca d'Anfo-9890.jpg|Anfo File:Rocca aerea.jpg|Lonato File:Moniga del Garda Castello 001.JPG|Moniga del Garda File:Castello Oldofredi-Martinengo ingresso.jpg|Montisola

Other sights

• Lake Garda, Lake Iseo and Lake Idro;
• Stelvio National Park;
• Adamello Regional Park;
• Alto Garda Bresciano Regional Park;
• Torbiere del Sebino Natural Reserve;
• Earth pyramids of Zone Natural Reserve;
• I Borghi più belli d'Italia: Bienno, Gardone Riviera, Montisola and Tremosine;
• Grandi Giardini Italiani: Vittoriale degli Italiani, Isola del Garda, Giardino Botanico Andrè Heller, Le Vigne di Bellavista - Franciacorta;
• Natural monuments of Buco del Frate, Altopiano di Cariadeghe, Baluton and Masso del Permico;
• Ski resorts of Ponte di Legno, Temù and Montecampione in Valcamonica;
• Franciacorta wine region;
• Grottoes of Catullus
• Lake Baitone File:Novembre 2004 030.jpg|Mount Adamello File:Riserva Naturale Torbiere del Sebino.jpg|The natural reserve of Torbiere del Sebino File:Ingresso della Forra a Tremosine b.jpg|Strada della Forra in Tremosine File:Villa Borghese-Cavazza, Isola del Garda.jpg|Villa Borghese-Cavazza on the Isola del Garda File:Erbusco.jpg|Vineyards in Franciacorta File:Piramidi di Zone wk13.jpg|Earth pyramids of Zone File:Vittoriale il complesso monumentale.jpg|Vittoriale degli Italiani File:Gardasee, Lago di Garda - panoramio (8).jpg|Alto Garda Bresciano Regional Park File:Dal Rifugio Lissone alla Baita Adamé - panoramio (1).jpg|Adamello Regional Park File:Grotte di Catullo 02.jpg|Grottoes of Catullus

References

References

1. "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". [[Italian National Institute of Statistics.
2. "Monthly Demographic Balance". [[Italian National Institute of Statistics.
3. [http://stats.oecd.org/ Regions and Cities > Regional Statistics > Regional Economy > Regional Gross Domestic Product (Small regions TL3)], OECD.Stats. Accessed on 16 November 2018.
4. (1971-10-24). "Popolazione residente e presente dei comuni. Censimenti dal 1861 al 1971". [[National Institute of Statistics (Italy).
5. "Dashboard Permanent census of population and housing". [[National Institute of Statistics (Italy).
6. (25 November 2016). "Le elezioni".