Context and Location

The municipality of Breno, in the province of Brescia, hosts three cemeteries: one main site in the town center and two smaller ones in the hamlets of Pescarzo and Astrio. The Astrio cemetery, located at 830 meters above sea level, lies in the northern part of the village, uphill from the parish football field. It is surrounded on all sides by the 50-meter cemetery buffer zone.

Beyond this buffer, the southern side connects to the historic center and residential area, while the other sides open onto agricultural and woodland areas, much of which fall within the boundaries of the Adamello Regional Park. Access to the cemetery is provided by a road branching from Via Nicolajewka, near the parish church.

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History and Previous Works

The exact origins of the Astrio cemetery are unknown, but the last major works date back to the 1980s. At that time, the cemetery was expanded westward with new burial niches, service rooms, and additional burial fields.

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Cemetery Plan and Expansion Project

Following the approval of the cemetery development plan, which outlined Astrio’s structural needs for the next twenty years, a new project was drafted. The planned interventions—taking into account the evolution of burial practices and prevailing funeral customs—were submitted to the Superintendency for Environmental and Architectural Heritage of Brescia, Mantua, and Cremona.

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Project Details

The project, prepared in compliance with Regional Regulation 6/2004 “Regulation on funeral and cemetery activities”, includes the following interventions:

• Removal of architectural barriers: ensuring accessibility to all main areas of the cemetery, including for elderly visitors and people with disabilities.

• Construction of restrooms: providing appropriate sanitary facilities for cemetery visitors.

• Mortuary chamber: creating a dedicated space for the temporary preservation of remains.

• Ossuary and columbarium niches: construction of 108 new units for the storage of ossuaries and urns.

• Garden of Remembrance: creation of a landscaped area dedicated to prayer and reflection, offering a place of peace and memory.

• Restoration of damaged walls: conservation work on deteriorated masonry structures to prevent further decay and preserve the cemetery’s integrity.

 

Conclusion

The project aims to improve accessibility and services at the Astrio cemetery, complying with current regulations while addressing the needs of the local community. These interventions enhance the cemetery not only as a place of burial but also as a space for memory and reflection, harmoniously integrated into the natural and historical setting of the Adamello Regional Park.​