Sanctuary of Minerva

The Sanctuary of Minerva, a temple from Roman times, is located in Breno, at Spinera. It is located on a rocky outcrop along the banks of the River Oglio, opposite a natural cave from which a spring flows. The presence of a shrine in this area dates back to the Iron Age, some stone enclosures and a paved area called brandopferplatz, where ritual bonfires were carried out, were found in the vicinity. Following the Romanisation of the Camuno territory in the early 1st century, the former sanctuary was absorbed by a Roman temple dedicated to the goddess Minerva. Under the Flavian dynasty (69-96 A.D.) it was renovated and extended.
The final Roman structure is composed of a series of rooms adjacent to the rock, with two porticoed wings on either side leading towards the river surrounding the temple courtyard. A short flight of steps leads up from the courtyard to the pronaos and into the central halls, decorated with mosaic floors and frescoes. The main hall houses, in a raised niche, a statue of Minerva, a Roman copy of a 5th century BC Greek work made of Pentelic marble. The side rooms were used as fountains and basins, emphasising the link between water and the cult of the goddess. After the beginning of the Christianisation of the Camonica Valley during the 4th century, the sanctuary was gradually abandoned and, in the first half of the 5th century, was finally destroyed by fire. A small harbour was then built nearby along the river, which was used to transport materials removed from the temple and reused in the neighbouring centres. In the 13th century, the area was covered by a flood and the site was permanently abandoned. It was rediscovered in 1986, during an excavation for the laying of public pipelines. Since 2004, it has been the subject of a conservative restoration, which involved the installation of a roof, the setting up of information paths and its transformation into a museum open to the public. For illustrative purposes, a reproduction of the statue of Minerva Hygeia has been placed there, while the original is on display at the National Museum of Valcamonica in Cividate Camuno.