Leno grew up around its Benedictine abbey, founded in 758 by the Lombard king Desiderius on the plain south of Brescia. The first monks came from Montecassino, twelve of them, carrying the relics the pope had given Desiderius and which the king passed on to the new monastery: forearm bones of Saint Benedict and the remains of Saints Vitalis and Martial, still the patrons of the town.
The abbey became an imperial one and its abbot Remigio was arch-chancellor to Louis II, who exempted the monks from taxes, let them elect their own rector and ruled that nobody but the abbot could judge anyone living on monastery land. In 1783 the community itself, the Vicinia of Leno, had it pulled down with the Venetian Senate's permission, to reuse the stone for the new parish church and the Dossi family villa. Stone fragments survive, mostly in the Santa Giulia museum in Brescia, along with mounds uncovered by the 2003 digs; the site is still called Villa Badia.
Risotto alla Milanese
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Next up: Saints Vitalis and Martialis, patrons of the land of the Abbey of Leno, Saturday 10 July
Nearest airport: Bergamo Orio al Serio, 52 km away
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📅 Every year, on 10 July; the Sagra di san Benedetto also brings the Trofeo San Benedetto cycling race
Leno celebrates Saints Vitalis and Martialis on 10 July; the Sagra di san Benedetto showcases tools for farm work and offers livestock trading, accompanied by the Trofeo San Benedetto cycling race on a town circuit.
Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
Outside Leno, but an easy day trip away.
