Tom`s travels: Ponti sul Mincio, Monzambano, Castellaro Lagusello, Pozzolengo, & San Martino della Battaglia (23/12/2023)

On a nice sunny December day, my brother and I headed to visit a few places close to Lake Garda. Our first stop was the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Frassino, a religious site built in place of where according to tradition, on May 11, 1510, a statue of the Madonna appeared among the branches of an ash tree. It started out as a simple chapel, and as it became a meeting place for the many faithful who brought votive gifts as a result of the graces received, it was then decided to build a larger church around the chapel and in addition the construction of a convent where the monks could be housed. It was built in the Renaissance style and then received further embellishments, especially on the interior in a baroque style. Once inside we visited the church and the miraculous statue and then the two nice cloisters, frescoed during the 17th century. After the visit to the monastery, we got back in the car and drove to nearby Ponti sul Mincio. After parking the car we walked around the small pretty old town, passing by the main church, Sant'Antonio Abate, which had just closed, and then up to reach the castle. Built during the 13th century on the highest point in town, it dominates the surrounding slightly hilly countryside close to the Mincio River. It features a complete wall enclosure with five defensive towers one of which now functions as the clock tower and another taller one that once served as the main keep. The castle was closed so we decided to take a walk around its perimeter and after that look for a place to eat. We ended up choosing a place called Trattoria alla Torre where I had bigoli with duck sauce. After lunch, we were off to the next town Monzambano. Once there, we walked through the old town, passing by the large baroque church of San Michele, dominating on a hill above the Mincio River. It was closed so we moved on to reach the main square, where the town hall, a 19th-century building, was set. Uphill not too far from it we then reached the castle, built on the highest spot in town. Built in the 13th century it is considered one of the best preserved in the area and still features the intact perimeter walls interspersed by defensive towers, and the small church of San Biagio. We managed to enter through the main tower gate to see it from the inside, but the area was small and the rest was covered in private houses and gardens. Another short drive led us to the nearby town of Castellaro Lagusello, part of the club of the most beautiful villages in Italy. We walk through its pretty town center characterized by a castle complex with outer walls and defensive towers and with a central keep now functioning as a clock tower and granting access to the inner courtyard filled with historic houses, a church, and a lovely 17th-century villa, Villa Arrighi. After the visit, we got back in the car and drove off to Pozzolengo, another historic town. Here we first visited the church of San Lorenzo, refurbished in the baroque style in the 17th century, and then headed to visit the castle. As usual located on the highest point in town, unlike the other ones in brick, this was mostly built in grey stone. Originally built between the 9th and 10th centuries, it was further expanded during the 13th century. It still features the outer wall and the interior is made up of a couple of streets lined by old houses. Finally, after a visit to the rest of the town, we drove off to our last destination, the Tower of San Martino della Battaglia. The tower was built beginning in 1880 on the highest hill of San Martino, where on June 24, 1859, the armies of the Kingdom of Sardinia, France, and Austria fought the bloodiest phase of the Battle of San Martino during the Italian Second War of Independence. The tower was built to solemnly celebrate the entire Risorgimento era, from the First War of Independence in 1848 to the taking of Rome in 1870. After paying for an entry ticket we headed up the tower's inner ramp to admire the series of large paintings representing the salient events of the war of independence. Once at the top of the 74m high tower we then had an amazing view of the surrounding landscape including Lake Garda to the north, crowned by partially snow-capped peaks. And as sunset was approaching the view was even more emphasized by the fading light. Behind the tower we then visited the Risorgimento Museum, further detailing this important historical period with memorabilia, objects, clothing, weapons, and armor from that period. To end it all we then briefly visited the Ossuary nearby, which contains the 1,274 skulls and bones of 2,619 soldiers of the Sardinian Army and the VIII Army Corps of the Imperial Royal Austrian Army who fought the bloody Battle of San Martino on June 24, 1859.