Church of San Fermo

on the promontory of San Fermo, in front of the Isola del Garda, is the mystical church of the fifteenth century: the picturesque lakeside location on the scenario holds up well against the region benacense.

Church of San Fermo, little church where many centuries ago the area was occupied by the imposing Scovolo castle, destroyed in 1279. The church of San Fermo formerly belonged to the Parish of Manerba, but was later claimed, in past centuries, from the friars of the island (now island lake Garda) municipalities of San Felice and Portese. The dispute concerning the jurisdiction of the church was settled in favor district parish of Portese. For a time the church came to be abandoned because of the indifference of priests and thus became the property of the Demanio. In 1835 the church, later bought by Domenico Brunelli, was returned to the parish of Portese will and testament of the owner. In the seventies, excavations were made by the archaeological group of Valtenesi (ASAV), which revealed a tangle of masonry foundations and a system of water channels that continues outside in the square of the church; these findings highlight the previous existence of a large Roman construction dating between the 1st and 3rd centuries AC near the church are parts of large walls, made with recycled material, easily of the Roman pre-existing, which make one think of a very likely fortification, perhaps the famous castle of Scovolo.