Sirmione is a commune in Lombardy, in the province of Brescia, making the north of Italy such a nice place to spend a couple of days. In fact this place has been bounded by the comunes of Peschiera del Garda and Desenzano del Garda in the province of Verona and the region that officially belongs to Veneto.
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This picturesque place covers an area of 33km2 and it is home of only about 8, 230 people who have the pleasure to enjoy its beauties, architecture and history. Actually Sirmione has a historical center which is located on the peninsula of Sirmio. This place divides the lower part of the amazing Lake Garda which is something the Sirmioneans are so proud of having.
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The very first registers of human presence in Sirmione are as old as 6th millennium BC. This fact speaks about the history and antiquity of this region. Ever since the 1st century BC Sirmione was becoming a favourite and most popular resort place for the rich families from Verona. Even the famous poet Catullus speaks in its poems about the beauties of this region.
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The most historical place is the Grottoes of Catullus. The small, yet unbelievable church Sant’Anna della Rocca which is placed right next to the castle Scaliger, dates from the 12th century. It was firstly built mainly for the uses of the garrison and the few local villages. The frescoes in the church have a special importance as they date from the 14th century.
Image by * Ivan Zanotti Photo * via Flickr
Another important and frequently visited spot in this little Italian town is the church San Pietro in Mavino which was built in 765 A.D. in Lombard times. What makes this church unique is the portal with a brick wall. The date 1320 could be seen on it. Once upon a time it used to be situated in the town, until it got moved to the hill.
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In the center of the town there’s another church, Santa Maria Maggiore that dates from the 15th century. What’s interesting about this church is that it has a rectangular shape with a polygonal apse. It is placed east-west and it is decorated with rich 15-century frescoes.
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People visit it today for the calmness that it offers, for the fresh air that could be enjoyed, for the quality of the food that could be tasted and the friendliness of the local people which is of great advantage! The nature that surrounds Sirmione is a call for all the people all around Europe to take a few days and visit it. It is well communicated with the big nearby cities which offers an easy access to it. The local people are more than pleased to welcome every single visitor that decides to spend its time there.
Image by laura_aura71 via Flickr