Breno

In the castle of Breno, in the Middle Ages, there were two towers: one was Guelph and belonged to the Ronchi, the other Ghibelline, of the Alberzoni. The two factions lived side by side inside the same fortress, and it was here that on the last day of 1397 the peace of Breno was signed, which brought them to terms. The village, for that matter, has always been the centre of the valley: seat of the Community of Val Camonica under Venice, and to this day seat of the mountain community.

The built-up area lies in a gorge between the castle hill and the Corno Cerreto, and some hold that this gorge was the old bed of the Oglio, which today runs further east. The river has left other traces in any case: at the place called Spinera, on its bank, stands a sanctuary of Minerva from the first century, burnt in the fifth. The coat of arms of Breno, finally, is one of the five that make up that of the province of Brescia, together with those of Brescia, Chiari, Verolanuova and Salò.