Stele del Rivellino di Porta San Nazaro
Stele del Rivellino di Porta San Nazaro Piazza della Repubblica, 1 - Brescia BS
In the heart of Piazza della Repubblica, during recent public works, Brescia rediscovered a piece of its fortified memory: a fragment of the Rivellino di San Nazaro.
A find that takes us back to when the city was walled and defended by ramparts. A small semicircular fortification, a ravelin, once stood here to protect Porta di San Nazaro, one of the main entrance gates to the city.
A trace saved by time
The ravelin disappeared in 1769, following a tragedy that left a deep scar on the city: lightning struck the gunpowder store near the gate, causing a devastating explosion.
The structure was destroyed and hundreds of people lost their lives.
Today, that recovered wall fragment is much more than a stone, it’s living memory.
Thanks to the collaboration between Fondazione Civiltà Bresciana, scholars and citizens, the section of wall was studied, restored and repositioned. Today it’s a visible sign of the past, but also a symbol of the present: of the value of knowing one's history, and of the bond that unites the city to its people.