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The Castle of Pontevico is a medieval fortification located in Pontevico (Province of Brescia). It now houses a Neuropsychiatric Institute.

The origins of the Fortress
Due to the French conquest of the Northern Italy, protrayed by Charlemagne during the 9th century, the feudal struggles started and Pontevico found itself on an important strategic position long the Oglio river.

The first building of the castle dates back to the ending of the 9th century due to the numerous raids protrayed by the Magyars in that period, remembered by the chronicles of the time as a colossal stronghold, called Munitissimum Castrum. A large moat provided by drawbridges encircled the Castle. There could be a secret passage which passed under the Oglio river, connecting the Castle of Pontevico to Robecco d'Oglio.

12th century
On 11th june 1127, the Count Goizone Martinengo granted the investiture of the Castle to Bishop Villano and to the Consuls of Brescia.

Seems that in 1191 the Castle had been granted to Cremona by the Emperor Henry VI. But we know for sure that during the next year the fortress got retaken by Brescia and with it not only the control of the waters of the Oglio river, but also the 100 trebuchets from its right bank.

In the late 12th century, the Pontevico's fortress was one of the most important ones of the Bassa Bresciana, so that it got considerably renovated and ampliated as a part of the grandiose military measures of the comune of Brescia, to face the growing cremonese threat. Due to the placing of the first brick, took part special ceremony, where the three most important men of Pontevico, after they touched with the right hand the coat of arms' rod, they bowed themselves and kissed the first brick, with the bishop's blessing.

During that period, took part the conflict between Guelphs and Ghibellines: Cremona was a town with Ghibelline tradictions which sided with the Holy Roman Empire, instead Brescia was a Guelph town which sided with the Pope. The two cities' contados were divided by the Oglio river and in the center of the border there was Pontevico.

Description
After the last restorations occurred during the 20th century, the Castle has got back its Romanesque medieval form and is actually built in quadrangular shape. But, due to a mistake during the last restorations, the battlements are make dovetail, so Ghibelline-styled, while in their original form they were squared, because Pontevico was a Guelph town. Located in front of the Oglio river, there's a headstone datable to the 1560 and depicting the town's coat of arms.

The courtyard, sorrounded by porticos on the whole perimeter, with loggia, is formed by gardens and a church, located in the center of the area.

The institute's church
The presence of a chapel consacred to Mark the Evangelist, Serenissima 's patron saint, since the Venetian control of the fortress is wel known. Since 1815, due to the ancient building's demolition, the chapel's relics are contained in the lateral choir of the local Abbey Church. The new castle church has been built in bricks in 1909 at the behest of Bassano Cremonesini.

The building is located in the center of the courtyard and is consacred to the Holy Family; instead the main altar is consacred to Mary of Nazareth: her simulacrum is placed in the apse's center.

The church has a gabled façade with a central rose window in marble, on which is placed a small Bell-gable, provided with two bells. In the interiors, the main decoration consist of a big altarpiece made by the brescian painter Vittorio Trainini, showing the Novella Beata prostrating in front of Mary, who give her Jesus.

The Bassano Cremonesini's crypt
Next to the church, there's a romanesque-styled crypt containing the Bassano Cremonesini's, father of the Castle rebirth, corpse.

A trifora allow to join the crypt, which is lighted by a stained glass window, on which are placed two angels leading a tape on which figure the phrase Deus caritas est.

The monument consist in a collected environment, whose ceiling consist in a framed inlay, painted with bright colors and intersected by angels carrying writings reflecting the concept of suffrage and eternal rest of the soul; the walls are instead decorated with graffiti. The decoration and fresco of the structure were entrusted to Trainini. On the back wall, Trainini has reproduced, on a gold background, the scene of the Resurrection of Christ; on the same wall, there is a depiction representing four Angels holding up the four main works carried out by the Monsignor, the Abbey Church, the Neuropsychiatric Institute, the obelisk of the Cemetery and the Canossian Institute, as if to invoke the resurrection of the man who accomplished many beneficial works.

The vault of the crypt central part is a fresco depicting on the sides the symbols of the Gospel and in the center, on a golden cross, a Crucifix of big dimensions. In this monument area there's the sarcophagus: a Red Verona marble block, solemn for its simplicity because its only decoration is a cross made with gemstones on which there's the quote: " A Monsignor Cremonesini Abate ". On the sarcophagus, there's a representation of the venerable priest sleeping, smiling and without any suffering.