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ERASMUS+ KA2 Searching for the Labours of Hercules2014-1-TR01-KA201-012990
Italy – Desenzano del Garda
CURIOSITIESWhat do Desenzano and New York have in common?
Bearded Hercues at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art
Since the late 4th ce. BC, educated and wealthy Romans desired works of art evoking Greek culture. Greek and Roman artists created marble and bronze copies of famous Greek statues. By the second century A.D., the demand for copies of Greek statues was enormous: niches filled with marble and bronze statuary decorated both private houses and public buildings throughout the Empire.
The Roman Villa is one of the best preserved villas in the north of Italy. It was built at the end of 1st century BC but the ruins you can see date back to the 4th century AD. Its polychrome mosaics represent scenes from the daily life of the Romans who lived there. The city center has characteristic views such as the old Harbour or the new one with its Lighthouse. Walking around you can visit the Cathedral and spend some leisure time in cafés and shops.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?The name Desenzano probably comes from the owner of the Roman Villa in the town center, Decentius.
NEXT STOPIn Desenzano you can do lots of different things thanks to the lake and to the mountains nearby.
In summer you can go sunbathing on the well equipped beaches or you can have fun trying windsurfing or sailing.
You can also take a ferry trip around the lake and visit the picturesque villages on its shores.
During the winter in just one hour’s drive you will be on the ski slopes of Monte Baldo or in the Alps.
DESENZANO DEL GARDA
Desenzano is a town on Lake Garda, in the north of Italy, between Brescia and Verona, not far from Milano and Venice. In Desenzano there are several historical and cultural landmarks, for example the Medieval Castle, the Roman Villa and the historical town center. The Castle was built with a double function: when the city was attacked, it was a refuge for all the citizens and during a war people kept on living there. For example, even the market was moved there. Nowadays the castle yard is used as an open air theatre or cinema during the summer.
Statue of bearded Hercules wearing the lion skin and holding a cornucopia at the Antiquarium of the Roman Villa.
TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICE
Via Porto Vecchio, 34 25015 Desenzano del GardaTel. +39 030 3748 726
