Also known as Italy’s Falcon and presently a favourite venue in Brescia town, the castle is located on top of the Cidneo Hill, which take its name from Giono, the king of the Ligurian peoples who first inhabited this area. The Ligurian tribes were replaced by the Cenomanes and then subsequently by the Romans who built a stronghold later destroyed by the Barbarians during the IVth and Vth century invasions. The oldest part of the present castle, the Mirabella Tower, a round tower resting on a Roman age rectangular base, dates back to the Communal Age (XII-XIIIth centuries). The rectangular keep, with the crenellated walls and two circular towers were probably erected by Giovanni Luchino Visconti in 1343, though it is more likely that the Visconti had a previously existing building enlarged and turned into a formidable fortress who played a fundamental role in the wars to obtain the dominion of the city. In 1426 for instance, when the people of Brescia conspired to free the city from the Viscontis’ rule, the castle could endure 8 months of repeated attacks and only hunger made the defenders surrender. In 1512, when a revolt was meant to bring Brescia under the Venetian rule, the castle was once again the last defensive bulwark. When Brescia went back under the dominion of Venice (1516) the walls were enlarged to enclose Canton Monbello and reinforced by colossal Pusterla Bastion. Also massive S. Faustino and San Marco and S. Pietro Bastions were added, the former on the south-western and the two latter on the south-eastern side. In order to separate the castle from the surrounding hillside a trench was dug which is presently the Pusterla bypass. The restoration works have brought to light a series of frescoes probably dating back to the mid XIVth century. Experts have also discovered that the present keep is actually resting on a magnificent rectangular plan Roman building probably dating back to the first century a.D. The castle on the Cidneo hill is also perfectly aligned with the Capitolium and Forum below. Source: www.bresciainvetrina.it