Franciacorta is the name given to the morainic ampitheatre lying southwest of Lake Iseo, bounded by Monte Orfano and Monte Alto and by the Oglio and Mella rivers. The name Franciacorta comes from the Latin francae curtes, that is, small communities under the protection of Benedictine monks, which were exempted from taxes during the Middle
Ages provided they reclaimed and tilled the land they were granted. The leitmotif which guides the traveller through this territory comprises ancient abbeys and prestigious wine-cellars, in a pleasant itinerary to be savoured and relished slowly, to be travelled perhaps by bicycle in order to discover fine architecture and prized wines. Franciacorta is vine-cloaked hills, small ancient stone villages, medieval towers and castles, sixteenth-century stately homes and patrician villas, lands devoted to viticulture since the Roman era. The disciples of this ancient tradition, today’s vine-growers, produce high-quality wines, Franciacorta DOCG being the area’s signature wine. Well worth visiting, besides the wine-cellars, is the Cluniac Monastery of San Pietro in Lamosa (1083), overlooking the Torbiere del Sebino nature reserve, a birdwatchers’ paradise. At Rovato, on Monte Orfano, rises the Convento dell’Annunciata (1449) amongst whose works of art is an Annunciation by Gerolamo Romanino. The Olivetan Abbey of San Nicola (10th century) at Rodengo Saiano is one of the most important monastic buildings in Italy, the cornerstone of the Benedictine monks in Franciacorta. It boasts works by Foppa, Moretto, Cossali, Romanino and Gambara. Also worth visiting at Ome is the Maglio Averoldi, an ancient forge housed in a 15th century building, which was in use until 1984. A group of volunteer forgers keep the forge open to the public and produce damask steel blades. Last but not least, tourists should not miss a boat trip on Lake Iseo with a stopover at Monte Isola, the largest lake island in Europe, where fishermen dry their fish inthe sun and a craft production of boats and fishing nets still survives.