The Plane Tree of Toscolano Maderno

The lively tourist resort of Toscolano Maderno developed on a vast promontory in the central part of the Brescia-side shore of Lake Garda.

It is an ideal place to enjoy the landscape: thanks to wide, modern cycle paths just a few steps from the water, architectural and natural beauty can be admired. On the Zanardelli lakefront, there is a green monument of great scenic value: it is the centuries-old plane tree (Platanus acerifolia) that with its voluminous foliage embellishes the area.

Its light trunk appears majestic with a height of over 25 metres and a circumference of 5 metres (diameter 160 cm). The tree, much appreciated by locals and tourists alike, has become an indispensable element of the landscape. Protected and valued, it continues to grow healthy just a few metres from the lake. The town where it is located has several places of interest. The municipality arose from the merger of the villages of Toscolano and Maderno; the latter was the county seat of the Brescian Riviera in the 14th century.

This is a fortunate area also due to the presence of a flourishing paper industry since the Middle Ages. On the slopes of the mountains surrounding the promontory it is possible to visit the Valle delle Cartiere (Valley of the Paper Mills) which, amidst evocative landscapes carved out by water, houses the Paper Museum, a beautiful example of industrial archaeology.

A green monument that is accessible to the public.
 

(Ph: Luca Pernechele)