The S. Giulia Monastery in Brescia was founded in 753 by Desiderio, the last Lombard king. It includes the S. Salvatore Basilica (7th - 9th century), with 3 naves and several columns taken from ancient Roman ruins, and the Romanesque S. Maria in Solario church (12th century), with an octagonal lantern decorated with columns.
It houses the Treasure of S. Giulia, with the Desiderio Cross studded with gems and cameos, the Lipsanoteca, an ivory box from the 4th century decorated with scenes, and the Boezio Diptych from the 5th century. Ermengarda, repudiated by Charlemagne, took refuge here in the monastery. Until 1798, the monastery was run by Benedictine monks. Today it is the site of the Brescia museum.

The piazza Vittoria in Brescia was designed by Marcello Piacentini. The square was built after demolishing most of the Medieval area of the city and inaugurated in 1932. The imposing Palazzo delle Poste [Main Post Office] stands at the far end of the square, which is dominated by a 60 meter tower. Facing the tower is the Quadriportico and the Torre della Rivoluzione [The Revolution Tower].

Built on order of Cardinal Angelo Maria Querini, the bishop of Brescia, this library contains important collections of manuscripts, codicils, incunabula, and over 300,000 books. One of the most valuable works is the Evangelario Purpureo (the Wulfila Bible), made in Ravenna in the 6th century, with silver lettering and gold decorations.

Renowned artists (Palladio, Sansovino, Titian) worked on this Renaissance construction, first built between 1434 and 1436 and completed in 1574. It is now the site of the Brescia town hall. Sweeping arches open the partially porticoed ground floor, while the upper floor is decorated with bas-relief motifs.
Facing Piazza Loggia are also Monte di Pietà (1484), the porticos (1595) and the Clock Tower, whose design was based on the tower in Saint Mark's Square in Venice. The mechanical astronomical clock has two wooden figures covered with metal called "I Mac' dele ure" (The Madmen of the Hours) that strike the hours on a bell.

This impressive building was constructed in 1557 - possibly by Lodovico Beretta - for Antonio Martinengo Cesaresco. Decorated by Jacopo Medici Manfredini, it was adjoined in 1838 to a small building created by Vantini. It is now the site of Università Cattolica of Brescia.