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Historical Museum

MUSEO DELLE ARMI “LUIGI MARZOLI”

Brescia (BS)

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The “Luigi Marzoli” Weapons Museum houses one of Europe's most important collections of armour and antique weapons, bearing witness to Brescia's long tradition of weaponry. Founded thanks to a donation by the labour knight Luigi Marzoli, an entrepreneur from Palazzolo, the museum exhibits precious 16th-century armour - in particular infantryman's corsets - and refined firearms with the famous Gardonese barrels, a symbol of Brescian excellence since the 16th century.

Within the 14th-century Mastio Visconteo, one of the oldest buildings in the castle, is the Luigi Marzoli“ Weapons Museum”, inaugurated in 1988 after careful restoration that brought to light the Visconti frescoes with the rare Heraldic arms of Luchino and Giovanni Visconti, the 15th-century Venetian decorations and the remains of a Roman temple with the oil deposits on which the medieval building was erected.

The exhibition route presents all types of weapons - white, defensive, by fire e artillery - illustrating the centuries-old Brescian gunmaking tradition through over 700 pieces. The works bear witness to the evolution technical and artistic of local workers from 15th to early 19th century, including not only the Marzoli collection, but also weapons already belonging to the Christian Museum 19th century.