On the north side of the historic city-centre of Brescia, once called Brixia Romana, Cidnus’ Hill rises. Named for the semi-mythical founder of the Ligurians, who arrived over 3200 years ago, Colle Cidneo has has borne the footfalls of history, from those first Ligurians, preceded by Hercules, and followed by the Etruscans, Gauls, Romans, Carthaginians, Visigoths, Huns, Byzantines, Lombards, Franks, Milanese, Venetians, Napoleon himself, Austrians, Piedmontese, Germans, and finally the Italians, lest we forget the native Brescians who’ve been here for some time.
Lending a sense of noble security to the bustling modern world surrounding it, Il Falcone d’Italia, The Falcon of Italy, The Castle of Brescia, perched atop its hill, is the proverbial cherry on the rich cultural chocolate fudge sundae of all that is to be found in the region. Started by the Visconti of Milan (side note: this is a pretty badass coat of arms) and later completed by (The Most Serene Republic of) Venice, the medieval castle is host to a festival of lights, celebrating the natural, historical and architectural beauty of the fort (I think–I’m bad at art interpretation, especially in foreign languages).
Antonella and I slowly meander as we approach the castle from below, it’s ramparts crowned with blue streams of light, representing the flag of the city. The road is clear of local traffic, as the street has been reserved for shuttle buses saving people from the hike. We choose to walk, taking in the sights as we go, passing parks, a vineyard, an imposing church, and a fantastic panorama of the city below.
We are treated to quite a spectacle upon our arrival. Despite the relative quiet of the road, there are a lot of people here! They must have started lining up a couple of hours ago, as I don’t think that many could have passed us in the few buses we saw go by. While the festival is free to all, thankfully the ever resourceful organisers have allowed those willing to pay eight euros to bypass the line, so that they may stand in a slightly shorter line…
A blessing in disguise, our wait in the queue allows us to take in the first installation, which is an amazing projection over the main gate showing a timeline of styles of architecture, with the music of Vivaldi playing in the background. Travelling through the ages, the gate comes alive as blocks appear and disappear, shift and grow, pop up and tumble away, to demonstrate the evolution of the art of architecture.
As soon as we enter the through the gate, we’re greeted by a loud rumbling and roaring. Turning a corner, projected through a fountain, is the dragon of the castle! Supposedly recalling the story of St. George and the Dragon, this fearsome foe is fun for the whole family!
There’s a lot to cover, so I’m going to skip ahead to my favourites. For the full list of installations, click here!
Walking up toward the drawbridge, the crowd is bathed in lush green light. Illuminating the trees and ancient aloe plants lining the walkway, the eerie glow is meant to remind us of the inevitability of nature’s reconquest over architectural spaces. I’m not sure why I like it so much, but it feels as though I were in an alien garden which is pretty fun.
Once we’re at the top of our climb, we’re treated to a delightfully weird rainbow ribbon light forest thing. As far as I can tell, the description says these playful ribbons are to reinvent the space in this small piazza. It is certainly not the same old space! It’s hard to take a decent selfie here with the weird purple back lighting, but I think I get a few memorable portraits.
The talking wall! While I can’t understand what’s being said, the projection is expertly done to showcase an oddly seductive brick mouth recalling the stories and symbols of Brescia. Looking up from below, it seems as though we’re receiving a message from beyond (and literally above), reciting the past, relating the present, and regaling us with the temptation of future glory (I mean, I don’t know; I’m literally making this up as I go along). I find the whole thing very compelling despite having to project my own meaning.
Finally, the tree of desires. A fun talking tree, this is an interactive exhibit, another meant for the kids, and kids-at-heart. Using your smartphone you can choose which light show it will display next. It’s super cute.
We make our exit down a flight of a illuminated stairs built for the occasion, and meander again down the hill, through the city, and back home. My knees hurt.
A Nix in Brixia 
