Chiari: Canals, Market and History

Chiari lies on the Milan–Venice railway line. Check connections and timetables before travelling. Water also shapes the area: a dense network of artificial canals, fed by ancient waterways also known as seriole, runs through the landscape and the town centre. These provide two distinct points of reference for planning your trip: the railway line concerns your journey there, while the canals shape the character of the place and point to its history of water engineering.

Canals and Historic Trades

The Roggia Vetra is documented from the 10th century and is considered the oldest and most water-rich waterway in Chiari. The Seriola Nuova is considered an outstanding example of water engineering; since 1461, it has carried water towards Franciacorta. The two waterways illustrate different aspects of the system: the Vetra is notable for its early documentation and its standing among Chiari’s waterways, while the Seriola Nuova is notable for its engineering and the direction in which it carries water.

The canals were also part of the area’s economic history. From the 17th century onwards, the waterways flowing through Chiari supplied power to mills, sawmills, hammer mills and silk-spinning mills outside the town centre. The history of silk is another, earlier focus: from the 16th century, silkworm farming and the craft of reeling silk played a decisive role in making Chiari the leading centre of the silk trade in the province of Brescia. Two distinct production histories therefore emerge: water-powered trades outside the centre and silk processing, which gave Chiari a leading position in the province’s trade. Reeling is the process of unwinding the silk thread from the cocoon.

Friday Market Tradition

The local market tradition dates back to 1406. A fish market is held at the Friday market in Piazza Zanardelli. Local farmers also sell their own produce there, including cheese, cured meats, meat, fruit, vegetables, jams and honey. The fish market and the farm produce are therefore two distinct parts of what the market offers. If you plan to include the market in your trip, check the arrangements locally, as they may change.

Art and a City Landmark

Chiari also has a distinctive focus in art history. The print collection at the Pinacoteca Repossi includes original prints and valuable copies from important Italian and foreign etching schools, spanning the 15th to the 20th century. Its subject differs from the history of water engineering: the focus is on printmaking and etching schools rather than canals and earlier trades. The collection combines a broad time span with Italian and foreign schools—two different aspects of its scope.

The Torre Civica provides another concrete point of reference: it is 55 metres high and is considered a symbol of the town of Chiari.

Discover more destinations: Offlaga, Carpenedolo, Fornaci, Castel Mella, Rodengo-Saiano, Brescia, Cerveno, Calvagese Della Riviera

Back to the main travel overview: Brescia.