The foundation of Lazise is due to the Romans, the name of the city derives from the Latin Lasitium, then Laceses which means “lake place”.
In 983 the community of Lazise asked the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire for the possibility of fortifying the city center. The inhabitants of Lazise thus obtained ample administrative autonomy and were able to freely regulate fishing and trade.
For these reasons Lazise can be considered the first free municipality of Italy.
In addition to the walls that surround the historic center and which recall its clear medieval imprint, there is also the Scaligero Castle, the most imposing building in Lazise, which was built during the domination of the Scaligeri of Verona.
Lazise has kept its three entrance doors equipped with shutters and drawbridges:
- “Porta Superiore ” today called “Porta San Zeno”
- “Porta Lion ” (so called because it bears the coat of arms of the Serenissima Republic of Venice)
- “Porta Nuova” today called “Porta Cansignorio”.
Once you have passed the walls you reach the small port, a characteristic place with many bars and ice cream parlors with outdoor tables.
Overlooking the marina is the Romanesque church of San Nicolò which dates back to the 12th century.
Next to it is the ancient Venetian Customs House, dating back to 1600, a building of great importance for the port of goods in the town together with the opposite port, which was marked in the maps since the 10th century. Today the Dogana Veneta is a congress center dedicated to events.
