Castegnato is a municipality in the province of Brescia located in the southern area of Franciacorta in a flat strip of land just 11.8 kilometers from the provincial capital crossed by the Seriola Nuova di Chiari Canal, the Gandovere stream and bordering Rodengo Saiano.
This territory, apart from its historical past linked to the Roman Imperial era with an important archaeological find, is known for its excellent wines but also for other products such as the infamous Polenta, a culinary symbol deeply linked to the ancient local gastronomic traditions.
This centre that was a Celtic, then Roman settlement, belonging to the Republic of Venice and then subject to foreign domination such as French and Austrian before entering the Kingdom of Italy.
The name of this locality, according to some studies, refers to a chestnut forest in the southern area of Castegnato, while another version is linked to the Latin noble Castinus, which then linguistically turned into Castinea and from this name became Castegnato.
I recommend starting the visit from the peripheral area of this municipality by making a short stop on the border with Ospitaletto in front of Villa Baitella, a splendid 18th century building that was the home of a rich family of cloth merchants from Bergamo who moved to Franciacorta in the 12th century.
The villa became the residence of the Martinengo family in 1670. Surrounded by a park of 30,000 square meters, the villa was restored in 2000 after a period of neglect.
Continuation with the Court of San Camillo, a village of medieval origin consisting of a dozen houses located on the river course of the Seriola Nuova on the edge of Rodengo Saiano, a famous place because it is where the famous statesman of the Kingdom of Piedmont and Sardinia Camillo Benso Count of Cavour stayed for a day.
In the core Castegnato you can visit the Parish Church of San Giovanni Battista, a religious building of fifteenth-century origin largely reformed in the late 17th century.
The church boasts a refined Baroque façade and has wonderful details such as a beautiful portal, a statue of St. John the Baptist supported by two cherub angels and a pair of marble columns in the round modeled with material from Botticino.
Inside you can appreciate various works of art such as those in the central nave with the nineteenth-century portraits of the twelve apostles made by Antonio Paglia, the high altar with an altarpiece on oil on canvas painted by Sante Cattaneo depicting the Holy Family with Saints Vitale, Anthony of Padua and John inserted in a splendid Baroque frame.
Also noteworthy are the statues of Saints Matthew, Luke, John and Mark and one of the Madonna under which lies a shrine with the relics of the patron saint of Castegnato, San Vitale.
You will endby admiring the elegant Villa Calini dating back to the 18th century which was the residence of the Counts Calini, nobles from Brescia who used it as a country house.
Continuation with the Church of Santa Maria of medieval origin with sober lines, simple but with very marked outlines developed on a rectangular plan with a central body and a bell tower on its left side.
This church was developed using the materials of the Church of San Zenone and with the construction of the new church dedicated to St. John the Baptist changed its name to Santa Maria, a building used for civil use in the Napoleonic period and then renovated and embellished in the 90s.
Afterwards visit the Church of Sant'Antonio dating back to the 17th century, when it was built in 1683 by the Mainetti family.
Located in a courtyard with sober and balanced lines, inside it houses an altarpiece depicting the Madonna with the Child Jesus and St. Anthony and statues depicting St. Anthony and a Madonna with Child.
At the end of the visit I recommend visiting a local farm to get to know the legendary Polenta di Castegnato, a gastronomic emblem of the Brescia area that has conquered the national and international market for its excellent quality.
The corn called Belgrano is the fruit obtained from a rather small cob, tending to brown in color , rustic, savory with glassy and round grains that generate a polenta with a divinely intense flavor.
The corn, after being harvested in silos, is subjected to a stone grinding method and the processed flour then receives the DE.CO protection mark, or municipal denomination otorgato by the Mayor with a certificate to defend the origin of production.
By cutting a grain you will notice how it is very firm, of considerable hardness, a quality that gives the goodness of the product after the aforementioned artisanal stone grinding that generates a very fine flour free of impurities or anomalies.
For superlative culinary combinations, Chestnut Polenta is absolutely superlative with fish such as Cod or Red Mullet, Game Meat, Braised Meat, Beef Stew, Stewed Veal, Wild Boar, excellent if cooked in the Uncia style , that is, with butter, sage, garlic and cheese, with Sautéed Porcini Mushrooms or even for the preparation of Yellow Cakes.
Then time for your lunch, remaining in the traditional local cuisine I recommend unique dishes such as Polenta with Brescian mullet or with Cotechino.
The visit of Castegnato is very interesting, you will discover historical beauties, a geographical area such as Franciacorta that offers very attractive landscapes, elite wines, a rich gastronomy and the iconic polenta of Brescia province, a local and national gastronomic symbol.
Link : https://comune.castegnato.bs.it/
Where to Stay | Recommended Accommodation in the area
Casa Renè
Hotel Morgana
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