Desenzano del Garda (Villa Romana & Castello), Lake Garda, Lombardy, Italy

Desenzano del Garda
Desenzano del Garda is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy, on the southwestern shore of Lake Garda. It borders the communes of Castiglione delle Stiviere, Lonato, Padenghe sul Garda and Sirmione.
The area was settled in the Bronze Age and sometime in the first century BCE, the area around lake Garda, including what is now Desenzano del Garda, became a favourite vacation spot for the Veronese élite, Verona being one of the largest Roman cities in northeastern Italy.
The Villa Romana
The Villa Romana is one of the most important Roman villas in the north of Italy, covering an area of 11,000 square metres. Built in the first century BCE it was occupied through to the fifth century. Discovered in the 1920’s it is believed that the final stage was built by Flavius Magnus Decentius, brother of Emperor Magnentius.
Castello di Desenzano del Garda
The Castello was built around 1000 CE to protect the populace from raids by bandits and incursions by Hungarians. The fortifications follow the old Roman ‘castrum’ layout and was enlarged in 15th century.
When the Venetians controlled this part of Italy they rebuilt the Old Port in 1454 to make Desenzano a commercial hub for the wider area with such localities as Brescia, Mantova and Verona.
Duomo di Santa Maria Maddalena
The baroque cathedral, dedicated to St Mary Magdalene, was designed by Giulio Todeschini and built on the remains of the parish church between 1586 and 1611.