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
