Desenzano del Garda

Excavations conducted in 1873 in the Polada area, on the border with Lonato, revealed a Bronze Age pile-dwelling station, from which the name Polada Culture originated. A contemporary settlement discovered in the Lavagnone area has become part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The remains of the Roman Villa that emerged near Borgo Regio, along the ancient Via Gallica, can be dated between the 2nd and 3rd centuries: in the best preserved parts of the floor, the depictions consist of hunting scenes, scenes of grape harvesting and fruit picking, and finally crosses depicting flowering branches starting from craters. Near Desenzano and the Selva Lugana, Emperor Decius defeated Philip the Arab in 249. In medieval times, Desenzano was subjected to the power of the municipality of Brescia, thanks to the investiture granted by Emperor Henry VI. In 1220 the fiefdom fell under the jurisdiction of the Confalonieri which extended to Rivoltella, San Martino, Solferino, Castiglione and Medole. In 1426 the city became part of the Republic of Venice. During the 15th century, thanks to economic development, the parish church dedicated to Santa Maria Maddalena and the home of the Gialdi family were built, and the Castle was fortified (1480). At the beginning of the 16th century and for a short period of time, Desenzano and Pozzolengo passed to the Duchy of Mantua to return shortly afterwards to the Serenissima on the orders of Louis XII of France. In this period the Academy was founded. During the first decade of the 17th century, further impetus was given to the creation of public works, such as the renovation of the Castle.

The Napoleonic period was also characterized by investments in works such as the new pier and the re-adaptation of the Carmelite Church into a theatre.
Having become part of the Kingdom of Lombardy-Veneto, a dependent state of the Austrian Empire (1814), Desenzano was visited by Emperor Francis I of Austria. Following the events of 1848 and 1849 in which the municipality participated, in 1851 Emperor Franz Joseph visited the town of Desenzano to strengthen trust with the population. During the Battle of Solferino and San Martino in the Second Italian War of Independence, Desenzano became a large hospital for the treatment of the wounded. In 1959, by decree of the President of the Republic, it obtained the title of City.
During the first decade of the 17th century, further impetus was given to the creation of public works, such as the renovation of the Castle.