Province of Brescia

Map showing the zones of the province

The province of Brescia is the largest in the region, boasts three main lakes, Lake Garda, Lake Iseo and Lake Idro, plus several other smaller lakes, three valleys, Val Camonica, Val Trompia and Valle Sabbia, as well as a wide flat area south of the city, known as the Bassa Bresciana, and several hilly areas surrounding the city landscape and extending eastwards towards Veneto and west to Franciacorta.

Due to the altitude and morphological variety and the presence of large lakes, the province includes all kinds of biomes in Europe: from something similar to the maquis shrubland up to the perennial snow of Adamello (with the largest glacier in the Italian Alps).

Rivers

There are about 45 watercourses crossing the territory of the province, but almost all of them are torrents. The only watercourses that can be defined as real rivers are just three: Oglio, Chiese and Mella; divided between the three main valleys.

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  Chiese crosses Valle Sabbia
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  Mella crosses Val Trompia then part of the southern countryside
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  Source of the river Oglio in the upper Valle Camonica
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  Typical ditch in Bassa Bresciana

Tonale Pass in summer

Broletto Palace in Brescia is also the seat of the prefecture

The Province of Brescia is an administrative body of intermediate level between a municipality (comune) and Lombardy region.

The three main functions devolved to the Province of Brescia are:

• local planning and zoning;
• provision of local police and fire services;
• transportation regulation (car registration, maintenance of local roads, etc.).

As an administrative institution, the Province of Brescia has its own elected bodies. From 1945 to 1995 the President of the Province of Brescia was chosen by the members of the Provincial Council, elected every five years by citizens. From 1995 to 2014, under provisions of the 1993 local administration reform, the President of the Province was chosen by popular election, originally every four, then every five years.

On 3 April 2014, the Italian Chamber of Deputies gave its final approval to the Law n.56/2014 which involves the transformation of the Italian provinces into "institutional bodies of second level". According to the 2014 reform, each province is headed by a President (or Commissioner) assisted by a legislative body, the Provincial Council, and an executive body, the Provincial Executive. President (Commissioner) and members of Council are elected together by mayors and city councilors of each municipality of the province respectively every four and two years. The Executive is chaired by the President (Commissioner) who appoint others members, called assessori. Since 2015, the President (Commissioner) and other members of the Council do not receive a salary.[3]

In each province, there is also a Prefect (prefetto), a representative of the central government who heads an agency called prefettura-ufficio territoriale del governo. The Questor (questore) is the head of State's Police (Polizia di Stato) in the province and his office is called questura. There is also a province's police force depending from local government, called provincial police (polizia provinciale).

This is a list of the Presidents of the Province since 1945:

Map showing the 205 municipalities of the province of Brescia

Here is a list of the most populated municipalities of the province.

Subsequently a list of the municipalities divided into their geographical zone (municipalities with more than 15,000 inhabitants are in bold):

• Capital city area: Brescia, Borgosatollo, Botticino, Bovezzo, Cellatica, Collebeato, Concesio, Gussago, Nave, Rezzato, Roncadelle.
• Franciacorta: Rovato, Palazzolo sull'Oglio, Adro, Capriolo, Coccaglio, Erbusco, Cazzago San Martino, Passirano, Paderno Franciacorta, Castegnato, Rodengo Saiano, Ome, Monticelli Brusati, Polaveno.
• Lake Iseo: Iseo, Marone, Monte Isola, Paratico, Pisogne, Provaglio d'Iseo, Sale Marasino, Sulzano, Zone.
• Val Camonica: Darfo Boario Terme, Angolo Terme, Artogne, Berzo Demo, Berzo Inferiore, Bienno, Borno, Braone, Breno, Capo di Ponte, Cedegolo, Cerveno, Ceto, Cevo, Cimbergo, Cividate Camuno, Corteno Golgi, Edolo, Esine, Gianico, Incudine, Losine, Lozio, Malegno, Malonno, Monno, Niardo, Ono San Pietro, Ossimo, Paisco Loveno, Paspardo, Pian Camuno, Piancogno, Pisogne, Ponte di Legno, Saviore dell'Adamello, Sellero, Sonico, Temù, Vezza d'Oglio, Vione.
• Val Trompia: Lumezzane, Sarezzo, Gardone Val Trompia, Villa Carcina, Marcheno, Bovegno, Collio, Caino, Lodrino, Pezzaze, Tavernole sul Mella, Marmentino, Irma.
• Valle Sabbia: Gavardo, Vobarno, Prevalle, Villanuova sul Clisi, Roè Volciano, Vestone, Bagolino, Sabbio Chiese, Serle, Muscoline, Odolo, Paitone, Idro, Casto, Agnosine, Preseglie, Bione, Vallio Terme, Barghe, Provaglio Val Sabbia, Mura, Pertica Bassa, Lavenone, Pertica Alta, Treviso Bresciano, Anfo, Capovalle, Nuvolera, Nuvolento.
• Lake Garda: Desenzano del Garda, Lonato del Garda, Gardone Riviera, Gargnano, Limone sul Garda, Manerba del Garda, Moniga del Garda, Padenghe sul Garda, Salò, San Felice del Benaco, Sirmione, Tignale, Toscolano Maderno, Tremosine, Soiano del Lago, Polpenazze del Garda, Calvagese della Riviera, Puegnago del Garda, Pozzolengo.
• Bassa Bresciana: Montichiari, Ghedi, Chiari, Acquafredda, Bagnolo Mella, Bedizzole, Mazzano, Calcinato, Calvisano, Carpenedolo, Castenedolo, Fiesse, Flero, Gambara, Gottolengo, Isorella, Leno, Montirone, Poncarale, Remedello, Visano, Berlingo, Castelcovati, Castel Mella, Castrezzato, Comezzano-Cizzago, Maclodio, Orzinuovi, Orzivecchi, Pompiano, Pontoglio, Roccafranca, Rudiano, Travagliato, Trenzano, Urago d'Oglio, Villachiara, Ospitaletto, San Zeno Naviglio, Azzano Mella, Pavone del Mella, Capriano del Colle, Borgo San Giacomo, Cigole, Mairano, Dello, Pralboino, Verolanuova, Verolavecchia, San Gervasio Bresciano, Manerbio, Lograto, Quinzano d'Oglio, Pontevico, Longhena, Offlaga, Barbariga, Berlingo, Torbole Casaglia, Alfianello, San Paolo, Brandico, Seniga.

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  Desenzano del Garda
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  Lumezzane
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  Montichiari
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  Palazzolo sull'Oglio
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  Rovato
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  Lonato del Garda

• Carlo Cocchetti (1859): Brescia e sua provincia ()

• Communes of the province of Brescia
• Pope Paul VI (Pope from 1963 to his death in 1978) was from Concesio, in Brescia.

• Official website
• Brescia Tourism official site: useful information, guide destination and hotel, airport
• Scoprire Brescia e la sua provincia