Province of Brescia

The Province of Brescia (Italian: provincia di Brescia; Brescian: pruìnsa de Brèsa) is a Province in Lombardy, northern Italy. It has a population of some 1,265,964 (as of January 2019) and its capital is the city of Brescia.

Province of Brescia
Province
Broletto Palace in Brescia, the seat of the Province
Map highlighting the location of the province of Brescia in Italy
Coordinates: 45°38′N 10°18′E
Country Italy
RegionLombardy
Established23 October 1859
Capital(s)Brescia
Comuni205
Government
 • PresidentSamuele Alghisi (PD)
Area
 • Total4,785.62 km2 (1,847.74 sq mi)
Population
 (2019)[2]
 • Total1,265,964
 • Density260/km2 (690/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
25121-25136, 25010-25089
Telephone prefix030, 0364, 0365, 035
ISO 3166 codeIT-BS
Vehicle registrationBS
ISTAT017
Websitewww.provincia.brescia.it

With an area of 4,785 km², it is the biggest province of Lombardy. It is also the second province of the region for the number of inhabitants and fifth in Italy (first, excluding metropolitan cities).

It borders the province of Sondrio to the north and north west, the province of Bergamo to the west, the province of Cremona to the south west and south, the province of Mantua to the south, and to the east the province of Verona (which is part of the Veneto region) and Trentino.

The province stretches between Lake Iseo in the west, Lake Garda in the east, the Southern Rhaetian Alps in the north and the Lombardian plains in the south. The main rivers of the province are the Oglio, the Mella and the Chiese.

Besides Brescia, other important towns in the province are Darfo Boario Terme, Desenzano del Garda, Palazzolo sull'Oglio, Montichiari, Ghedi, Chiari, Rovato, Gussago, Rezzato, Concesio, Orzinuovi, Salò, Gardone Val Trompia and Lumezzane.

Geography
Map showing the zones of the province

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 municipalities of Concesio and Collio; and the Valle Sabbia which includes the municipalities 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
A lemon tree in Limone sul Garda. The mild climate of Lake Garda allows the cultivation of Mediterranean plants

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 municipality 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.

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.

Tonale Pass in summer

Extreme points

Main sights

UNESCO World Heritage Sites
World Heritage Sites in the province of Brescia
Rock Drawings in Valcamonica
Brescia
Prehistoric settlements around the Alps

Castles and fortress
  • Castle of Brescia;
  • Castle of Sirmione;
  • Castle of Lonato;
  • Bonoris Castle;
  • Castle of Desenzano;
  • Castle of Breno;
  • Fortress of Anfo;
  • Castle of Padenghe;
  • Castle of Padernello;
  • Castle of Pozzolengo;
  • Castle of Carzago;
  • Castle of Bornato;
  • Castle of Drugolo.
  • Rocca di Manerba del Garda (Lombardy)
  • The castle of Brescia
  • The castle of Sirmione
  • The Bonoris Castle in Montichiari
  • The castle of Padernello
  • The castle of Breno
  • The Anfo fortress

Other sights
  • Mount Adamello
  • The natural reserve of "Torbiere del Sebino"
  • Strada della Forra in Tremosine
  • Villa Borghese-Cavazza on the Isola del Garda
  • A vineyard in Franciacorta
  • Grottoes of Catullus

Government
Broletto Palace in Brescia is also the seat of the prefecture

The Province of Brescia is an administrative body of intermediate level between a municipality (comune) 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.[3]

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:

Composition of the Provincial Council (2019–2021):

  Centre-right coalition (8)
  Centre-left coalition (7)
  Far-left (1)

The center-left coalition currently detains the majority thanks to an agreement with the far-left councillor and the vote of the President.
President Term start Term end   Party
Arturo Reggio 19 May 1945 28 May 1951 PLI
Ercoliano Bazoli 28 May 1951 10 May 1970 DC
Mino Martinazzoli 10 May 1970 22 June 1972 DC
Tarcisio Gitti 22 June 1972 15 May 1975 DC
Bruno Boni 15 May 1975 12 June 1985 DC
Vittorio Marniga 12 June 1985 30 November 1987 PSI
Costanzo Valli 30 November 1987 8 May 1995 PSI
Andrea Lepidi 8 May 1995 28 June 1999 PPI
Alberto Cavalli 28 June 1999 8 June 2009 FI
Daniele Molgora 8 June 2009 13 October 2014 LN
Pier Luigi Mottinelli 13 October 2014 2 November 2018 PD
Samuele Alghisi 2 November 2018 incumbent PD

Municipalities
Map showing the 205 municipalities of the province of Brescia

Here is a list of the most populated municipalities of the province.

Rank Municipality Population
as of 31 May 2017		 Area
(km2)		 Density
(inhabitants/km2)		 Altitude
(mslm)
1st Brescia 196,696 90.68 2143.5 149
2nd Desenzano del Garda 28,934 60.1 461.6 67
3rd Montichiari 25,592 81.19 295.9 108
4th Lumezzane 22,405 31.52 754.8 460
5th Palazzolo sull'Oglio 20,120 23.06 869.4 166
6th Rovato 19,119 26.1 724.1 192
7th Chiari 18,923 38.02 500.7 145
8th Ghedi 18,759 60.76 312.1 85
9th Gussago 16,638 25.02 674.6 190
10th Lonato del Garda 16,371 70.5 225.2 188

Subsequently a list of the municipalities divided into their geographical zone (municipalities with more than 15,000 inhabitants are in bold):

Municipal government

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

Municipality Mayor   Party Executive Term
Brescia Emilio Del Bono PD PD • LeU 2018–2023
Desenzano del Garda Guido Malinverno FI FI • LN • FdI 2017–2022
Montichiari Marco Togni LN FI • LN • FdI 2019–2024
Lumezzane Josehf Facchini LN FI • LN • FdI 2019–2024
Palazzolo sull'Oglio Gabriele Zanni PD PD • Ind 2017–2022
Rovato Tiziano Belotti LN FI • LN • FdI 2020–2025
Chiari Massimo Vizzardi PD PD • Ind 2019–2024
Ghedi Federico Casali LN FI • LN • FdI 2019–2024
Gussago Giovanni Coccoli Ind Ind 2017–2022
Lonato del Garda Roberto Tardani FI FI • LN • FdI 2020–2025
Concesio Agostino Damiolini LN FI • LN • FdI 2019–2024
Darfo Boario Terme Ezio Mondini PD PD • Ind 2017–2022

See also
  • Communes of the province of Brescia
  • Saint Pope Paul VI (Pope from 1963 to his death in 1978) was from Concesio, in Brescia.

References
  1. UPI
  2. ISTAT
  3. http://elezioni.interno.it/l56_2014.html
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