La Santissima is one of the most significant architectures in Franciacorta; placed on a hill overlooking the village of Gussago, the building has a Romanesque appearance with a three-span vaulted hall, while the presbytery area is divided into three spaces: the central one is wider and barrel-vaulted, flanked by two smaller sacelli.

Since the 16th century, the preachers of St. Dominic started a series of interventions on the church and the surrounding areas: they build the porch in front of the facade and commission a rich pictorial decoration to one of the Renaissance artists prominent in the panorama of Brescia, namely Paul from Caylina the Younger; the artist fresco the entire presbytery with figures of Dominican saints, the Eternal Father blessing between the Evangelists and the Fathers of the Church.

The last architectural transformations of La Santissima are due to the initiative of Gian Battista Gigola, who (after the suppression of the Dominican order in 1797) bought it as a country residence; the famous miniaturist and portraitist entrusts the restoration work to the well-known architect Rodolfo Vantini, who (between 1823 and 1830) enriches it with neo-Gothic elements, such as the ogival windows and the crowning with dovetail merlons, giving it the appearance (much like a castle) that is known today.

Translations by Franciacorta da scoprire.
Photos by Associazione Strada del Franciacorta.