Brescia is situated at 149 metres above sea level where the Val Trompia opens out at the foot of the Prealps. Its eventful past tells the story of how it earnt the name of "Leonessa d‘Italia". In fact in 1849 the city put up a successful and noteworthy resistance against the Austrians.The look of the city is that of a typical Roman one, very uniform. Amongst the historical and artistic monuments to visit are the old Duomo of the 11th century and the church of San Francesco of the 13th century.