Montichiari, a town full of history and a florid economy, is situated in the Brescian level land in a nice position between the Lake Garda and Brescia.
There is information about Montichiari from the Middle Ages even though most of its development occurred after the year 1000. Protagonist of the Lombard Medieval history Montichiari is part of the field of the Republic of Venice where it remained until its downfall in 1797. Montichiari then had an important role in the battle of S. Martino and Solferino in 1859.
Today Montichiari is a modern town that includes attractions beginning with the Cathedral.
Another important monument of Montichiari is the Castle. Before this construction was built, around the year 1000, the communal Fortress that will have a lot of importance later, over the centuries, for the defense of the territory and its inhabitants. The old fortified castle was knocked down by Brescia in 1168 that made it become a mound of ruins that remained until last century. In 1890 the City of Montichiari gave the fortress and its surrounding land to the Brescian Count Gaetano Bonoris (1861-1923), wealthy owner of the area, with the obligation of rebuilding the fortress into the shape of a castle. The part of more consistent land is occupied by a magnificent and rich park (2,200 square meters) that just lately has become property of the City of Montichiari.
In Montichiari, The Parish Churh of S. Pancrazio. Its origin goes back to the 5th or 6th century, and it was probably built in the same place in which a pagan temple existed before. The church was dedicated to Saint Pancrazio, young fourteen year old boy martyred during the persecution of Diocletian in Rome in the third century.
In Montichiari centre we have the Social Theatre that was inaugurated the evening of 18th October 1890 with the representation of the lyrical opera "Il Trovatore" by Giuseppe Verdi. In 1996 it had to go through long and significant work of redecoration. In the countryside of Montichiari there is a very important sanctuary, even from the international point of view, that is the Madonna of the Fontanelle or Mystic Rose.
The landscape of Montichiari is placed among soft hills where, in the middle, there is a spring of water that for some years has taken a remarkable religious importance, after the appearances of Virgin Mary witnessed by a local woman: Pierina Gilli. For a religious itinerary near Montichiari remember also that Castiglione delle Stiviere where S. Luigi Gonzaga was born.
