Mantua

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Mantua is the capital of the province of the same name and is listed as a World Heritage Site. The main attractions of the former capital of the Duchy of Mantua include the Romanesque cathedral, the Renaissance church of Santa Andrea, the Palazzo Ducale and the Palazzo del Te. The city is considered to be the birthplace of Virgil; more precisely, the ancient village of Andes, located nearby. In William Shakespeare’s tragedy ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Mantua is the place of Romeo’s exile. Verdi’s opera Rigoletto is also set in Mantua.

The town centre is surrounded on three sides by lakes – Lago Superiore, Lago di Mezzo and Lago Inferiore – which were created in the 12th century to defend the town and are fed by the River Mincio. Lago Paiolo, which was dammed at the same time and effectively turned the town into an island, no longer exists today.

We stayed at the Hotel Italia near Piazza Cavallotti. The Teatro Soziale, with its neoclassical façade, is also located there. Next to it, you can see a canal that used to run right through the city. From the square, you can walk straight into the old town. The route takes you along Corso Umberto I with its arcades. The columns appear to come from Roman temples. At the end of the triangular Piazza Guglielmo, with its cosy cafés, stands an interesting 15th-century house featuring frescoes, and then you’re already at the Basilica of Sant’Andrea.

Basilika Sant'Andrea

According to tradition, the basilica stands on the spot where Saint Longinus – the soldier said to have pierced the side of the dead Jesus – buried the earth soaked with the blood of Christ.

In 1470, Ludovico Gonzaga commissioned Alberti to build a church that was to serve as a place of veneration for a relic of the Holy Blood. For the design of the floor plan of Sant’Andrea, Alberti drew on an ancient Roman method of wall arrangement. He replaced the side aisles of the nave with a series of chapels, which represented a significant innovation for church architecture of the late Renaissance and Baroque periods. Alberti, who had studied ancient architecture in depth, aimed for a monumental effect that would rival his historical models. Thus, he derived the massive coffered barrel vault from the Basilica of Maxentius in Rome. In the façade, he combined the ancient temple front with a triumphal arch and flat pilasters instead of the usual columns.

The bell tower features Gothic architectural forms.

Rotonda of San Lorenzo

The town’s oldest church is situated approximately 1.5 metres below the level of the square. Built in 1082 at the behest of Matilda of Canossa, the church’s circular design is reminiscent of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Piazza delle Erbe

The square was once the city’s commercial hub. Today, a daily fruit and vegetable market is held here, and souvenir sellers also offer their wares. The cohesive ensemble of palazzi, adorned with magnificent frescoes, is truly impressive. At the north-western end stands the Palazzo della Ragione (Palace of Justice) from 1250, next to it the Torre dell’Orologio (15th century) with an astronomical clock. Right next to it rises the two-storey Rotonda San Lorenzo from the 11th century, Mantua’s oldest church. Opposite is the Basilica of Sant’Andrea.

In 1455, a wealthy merchant had this building, the Casa del Mereante, constructed. Its façade is a blend of Gothic and Oriental elements, strongly reminiscent of Venetian houses.

The courtyard of the Palazzo del Podestà, which connects Piazza Broletto with Piazza Erbe. It is called the Sottoportico dei Lattonai.

Piazza Broletto

During the period of the communes, the square was the hub of public life. On the south side stands the Palazzo Broletto, built in 1227 by Laudarengo Martinengo, the city’s podestà (governor).

On the rear façade of the palace stands a 13th-century statue depicting Virgil on his chair, known locally as ‘la vecia’. On the corner stands the Torre del Broletto (or Torre del Podestà), with the Casa Tortelli nestled against it.

On the south side stands the 14th-century Palazzo del Massaro, inside which there are important 15th-century frescoes from the school of Pisanello.

In the centre of the square stands the 19th-century Dolphin Fountain, on the very spot where the first artesian well was dug to supply the town with drinking water.

Piazza Sordello

The dominant architecture of the square dates largely from the late Middle Ages and has been supplemented by 18th-century additions, including the façade of the cathedral and the Bishop’s Palace (Bianchi), which stands directly adjacent to the cathedral. At the side of the palace, the massive Romanesque bell tower bears witness to its medieval origins. To the left of the square, opposite the cathedral façade, stand the Palazzo Acerbi, dominated by the Torre della Gabbia, the Palazzo Bonacolsi (Castiglioni) with its triple round-arched windows and two portals – a pointed-arch portal and a Renaissance portal – as well as the Ca’ degli Uberti and the aforementioned Palazzo Bianchi.

On the opposite side of the square stands the Palazzo del Capitano, whose origins date back to before 1328, the year in which the Gonzaga family came to power. It thus forms the original and oldest core of the ducal palace. Next to this majestic, crenellated building stands the Domus Magna with its 15th-century mullioned windows.

The Cathedral of San Pietro

St Peter’s Cathedral reflects the history and artistic development of the city, as it combines various styles: the walls of Gothic chapels that were later destroyed, a Romanesque bell tower, a late-Gothic long side, a 16th-century interior by Giulio Romano, a Neoclassical façade in Carrara marble, and a late 15th-century sacristy whose beautiful vaulted ceiling is from the school of Mantegna.

The original façade can be seen in a painting entitled ‘The Expulsion of the Bonacolsi’ (on display in the Ducal Palace).

Casa di Rigoletto

It is said that the legendary court jester Rigoletto, the main character in Giuseppe Verdi’s famous opera, lived in this house (pictured on the right). The medieval house was rebuilt in the 15th century.

In the courtyard of the house stands a statue of Rigoletto, created by the sculptor Aldo Falchi.

Palazzo Te

Palazzo Te dates from the 16th century. The entire complex was designed and built by Giulio Romano (1499–1546) for Federico II Gonzaga (1500–1540) as a place of leisure and for lavish receptions. From the outset, the palace opened out through large loggias onto extensive gardens, which were designed in the style of ancient Roman villas.

Federico II Gonzaga – a copy of a painting by Titian – and Giulio Romano

Inside, visitors can admire the exquisite frescoes and the intricate stucco work. The entire interior design was realised according to a design by Giulio Romano. He not only designed the architectural structure of the building down to the smallest detail, but also the magnificent decorative fresco cycles, the fireplaces, the ceilings and the floors of all the rooms. He then entrusted their execution to a team of skilled artists.

Market day

Every Thursday morning, Mantua’s old town is transformed into a huge, bustling market.

Scenes from a boat trip on the lakes around Mantua

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