Visit Mantova in one day
This extraordinary city, founded perhaps by the Etruscans, was then romanized (Vergil was born in nearby Andes) and finally, after a period as a commune, became a fief of the Bonacolsi and then of the Gonzagas (1328-1707), who made it the splendid capital of their principality. The River Mincio closes it on three sides in the form of a lake, and to those approaching it from the north, the city presents a striking skyline of towers.
We enter by Porta Molina, turn down Via Trento, where the handsome Palazzo Cavriani may be seen, cross Piazza Virgiliana and, passing alongside the tall Torre della Gabbia, come into Piazza Sordello, an impressive medieval square with the two battlemented palaces, Palazzo Bonacolsi and Palazzo del Capitano, which constitute the old wing of the palatial residence of the Gonzagas, the largest group of buildings in Italy (365.000 sq. ft., with 450 rooms) after the Vatican.
The Palace, plundered many, times in the past, was restored to its original
splendor in the present century.
It contains an excellent Archaeological Museum and a painting gallery with works by Pisanello, Tintoretto, El Greco, Rubens, and Van Dvck.
But to be admired most of all is the astonishing succession of rooms, the alternating vast and tiny courtyards, the labyrinthine passageways, the sumptuous galleries and the refinement of the decoration - in short, the elegant setting which still tells us so much about the magnificence of this court, where the first opera in the history of music was conceived and written by Claudio Monteverdi.
The Camera degli Sposi, decorated by Andrea Mantegna, makes of this palace one of the sanctuaries of Italian painting.
Palazzo Te - Photo ©
LucaP
Behind the palace stands the Castle of S. Giorgio (14° century), later incorporated into it.
After taking a walk round the Castle, we come back into Piazza Sordello, near the 18° century Cathedral and Bishop's Palace, from which we carry on into the square where the ancient Broletto stands (in a niche, a 13 century statue of Vergil), and then into Piazza delle Erbe, with the Palazzo delta Ragione and the Rotondo di S. Lorenzo (ca. 1000), the oldest building in the city.
In the nearby Basilica di S. Andrea, designed by L. Battista Alberti (1472), we will find a beautiful Madonna by Lorenzo Costa, two paintings by Mantegna and the Painter's Tomb.
By taking Via Roma and Via Chiassi, we come into Via Prima, where, after the church of San Barnaba, we come upon the Palazzo di Giustizia (formerly Cofloredo, a distinguished 16° century building.
Photo ©
jimforest
Then we find the House of Giulio Romano: the masterpiece of this artist, both as an architect and a painter, is, in Mantua, the Palazzo del Te (reached by taking Via Acerbi), an imposing princely villa, perhaps the most beautiful pleasure house of the High Renaissance.
From here we turn towards Viale Risorgimento and Corso Garibaldi, where we find the charming 15° century facade of S. Maria del Gradaro.
Down Via Trieste we come to the picturesque Rio, which we cross; in Via Pomponazzi stands the important Palazzo Sordl not far from which is the Accademia Virgiliana with an 18° century Theatre designed by Bibiena.
Itinerary courtesy of ENIT
© 1997-2010 Enrico Massetti
TangoItalia - Food, Wine, Travel, and... tango in Italy.
Mantova:
Mantova 1 day
Palazzo Ducale
historic center
center-Pal. Te
places of culture
center-p.Cerese
Pradella-Mulina
Mantova
food
Bergamo:
- Piazza Vecchia
- Le mura Venete
- Basilica
-
Capp. Colleoni
Bergamo one day
Bergamo & Como
Brescia
- in one day
Cremona
Lake Como:
One day trip
Bellagio
Bellagio - Como
Lecco - Bellagio
Bellagio - Colico
Villa Carlotta
Menaggio
Varenna
Isola Comacina
Villa Balbianello
Garda Lake:
- a day boat trip
Salo
Desenzano
Gardone Riviera
Gargnano
Limone s/ Garda
Magasa
Sirmione
Sirmione Baths
Tignale
Tosc. Maderno
Tremosine
A quick tour
Lake Iseo:
Lake Maggiore:
St.Caterina Sasso
Angera
Angera Dolls
Angera Rocca
Mottarone
Isole Borromee
Villa Taranto
Milan Region
Milan food
Milan wine
Visit Milan:
an introduction
Il Duomo
Piazza Duomo
Duomo-Twain
Galleria
Cenac. Leonardo
Cast. Sforzesco
La Scala Theater
Sant'Ambrogio
Milan art & shop
Milan by foot
Milan two days
Eating out
One day trips
Chiaravalle
Traveling to
Traveling around
Near Milan:
Monza
Vigevano
Pavia
- Certosa
Varese
Varese sport
- Villa Panza
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Franciacorta
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Milan Region
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