Capitolium - Brescia - Italy

I decided to create this set in honour of my city, Brescia, which was named capital of culture for 2023 together with Bergamo.

The idea was born to celebrate the beauty of this Roman archaeological complex, one of the largest in northern Italy and a UNESCO heritage site since 2011.

The set is a miniature that reproduces the typical layout of these types of temples.

You can see the characteristic Corinthian colonnade, in which I have inserted white parts to recall the original marble ones and orange parts that represent the brick ones, which were added during the reconstruction.

While designing the set I paid particular attention to the creation of the tympanum, succeeding in obtaining a good deconstructed effect.

Behind the columns I inserted a two-tone wall to recall the alternation of materials which marble pilasters are set against, you can also see the entrances of the three cells which originally housed the same number of altars dedicated to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva.

As for the flooring, I had the idea of alternating the tiles which gives a greater sense of realism.

In front of the temple I also added gravel, grass and marble ruins just like in reality.

Finally, to make the composition more evocative, I placed statues between the columns, as can be seen in some recent photos.

During the decline of the Roman Empire and the barbarian invasions, the temple was abandoned and left in a state of decay until part of the hill behind it collapsed, burying it and for many centuries only one column protruded less than two meters above the ground.

In the same place, after the land had been levelled, social housing, gardens and a tavern were built.

In this period the protruding column was used as a table for the various customers who sat down to drink and play cards. However, at some point the literati of the city began to suspect that the column could be part of a larger, buried architectural complex, as was traditionally recounted.

Excavations began around 1820 and brought to light all the Roman finds visible today.

I recommend everyone visits Piazza del Foro where the temple is located and all the beautiful sights of this city!