Top 10 Amazing Facts about Mantova, Italy

Aerial view of Mantova, photo by User:EdoM. Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Mantova, Italy

Mantova is an art city, cultural spot and musical center in northern Italy also known as Mantua. It is located in Lombardy, Italy, and capital of the province of Mantova. The city is surrounded on three sides by lakes formed by a tributary of the Po River, the Mincio.

It is just south of Lake Garda and close to the borders of Veneto and Emilia-Romagna, making it a central point and regional cultural hub.Mantova was originally settled by the Etruscans them passed to Gallic however the city flourished under the Romans.

It was under the Gonzaga family’s control for three centuries, and the city was the setting for Verdi’s opera, Rigoletto striking city of noble buildings and pretty piazza. Among famous people include the Roman writer Virgil whose hometown has been renamed Virgilio in his honor.

1.It  was picked as the Italian Capital of Culture in 2016

In 2016, late October, Mantova became the Italian Capital of Culture. The northern Italian city was picked as the 2016 Italian Capital of Culture because of elegance, art, noble buildings and pretty piazzas. It was later named as the European Capital of Gastronomy in 2017 together with the cities of Bergamo, Brescia, and Cremona in the Lombardy region.

2.Mantova was inscribed by UNESCO into its World Heritage List in 2008

Mantova’s centro storico and Sabbioneta were both declared and inscribed by UNESCO into its World Heritage List in 2008.  It is one of the most artistic and cultural of Northern Italy because of the extraordinary architectural and artistic heritage left by the Gonzaga dynasty, the rulers of Mantova for four centuries.

Mantova is also known as the place where the composer Monteverdi premiered his opera L’Orfeo and where Romeo was banished in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet.

3.La Camera degli Sposi (Bridal Chamber)

Camera degli Sposi, view of the north and west walls photo by Andrea Mantegna. Wikimedia commons

La Camera degli Sposi is filed with paintings of the family and court of Ludovico Gonzaga, the ruler of Mantua from 1444 to 1478. Other paintings are of the election of Ludovico’s son Francesco Gonzaga. The famous masterpiece by Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506) is located inside one of the fortified towers of the San Giorgio Castle, attached to the palace.

The room is especially famous for the use of trompe l’oeil details and its di sotto in sù ceiling, evident in the “oculus”, a fake opening toward the sky showing cherubs (“putti”) peering down into the room. The Bridal Chamber was closed for almost three years following the earthquake that hit the neighboring region of Emilia-Romagna in 2012, and was reopened in April.

4.Piazza Sordello in Mantova

Piazza Sordello, Mantua, photo by Blackcat. Wikimedia commons

Mantova has many beautiful squares including Piazza Sordello. The Piazza Sordello is an elegant attraction of the city composed by churches and palaces, with sidewalk cafes, Renaissance arcades, and a lived-in atmosphere. The overall feel of the city is elegant, with its beautiful buildings outlined in arcades that exude the pride and history of Mantova.

5.Basilica of Sant’Andrea

Mantova – Basilica di Sant’Andrea, photo by Sebi1. Wikimedia commons

The Basilica of Sant’Andrea is mostly known for housing the relic called Preziosissimo Sangue di Cristo (“Most Precious Blood of Christ”), which is preserved in the Sacred Vessels. It was built in 1472 in accordance with Leon Battista Alberti’s plans, it is the largest church in Mantua.

It was traditionally brought to Mantua by the Roman centurion Longinus, who collected it from the ribs of the crucified Christ. The Sacred Vessels are displayed during a solemn ceremony and procession on Good Friday.

6.Teatro Scientifico del Bibiena

The Teatro Bibiena is located just a few hundred meters from Piazza Sordello. It is beautifully decorated with a facade by Giuseppe Piermarini, the same architect who designed Milan’s La Scala. The theater was designed and built by the Parma-born architect Antonio Galli Bibiena in just two years.

A month after its inauguration, on January 16, 1770, it hosted the exhibition of enfant prodige Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who, at the age of fourteen, performed in a memorable concert with his father Leopold. The theater is considered a masterpiece of Baroque architecture and is worth a visit by itself, not just to see a show. In fact, it is part of Mantova’s network of museums.

7.Lungo Rio (Le Pescherie)

The center of Mantua is cut by a canal connecting the Superior and Inferior lakes. Most of the canal has been covered, but the uncovered part is particularly evocative, especially by Via Pescherie. A farmers’ market is held in this area every Saturday morning, a perfect chance to try Mantova’s culinary delights.

8.Palazzo Ducale (Ducal Palace)

Façade of Palazzo Ducale, photo by Jakub Hałun. Wikimedia commons

The Palazzo Ducale was the Gonzaga family residence where they lived from 1328 to 1707. The palace is a 500-room complex of buildings that include a castle, a basilica, courtyards and gardens. Palazzo Te was built by the Duke of Mantova, Federico II Gonzaga. The buildings are connected by corridors and galleries and enriched by inner courts and gardens.

In addition, the royal residence of the powerful Gonzaga family is one of Europe’s largest monumental buildings, measuring about 34,000 square meters. Currently, the palace houses the Museo Civico that highlights the history of Mantova., with some 500 rooms. Its construction began in the 13th century by the Captain of the People Guido Buonacolsi, whose family ruled the city before the Gonzaga.

9.Palazzo Te

About a kilometer away from the historic center is Palazzo Te, a fine example of mannerist architecture, the work of architect Giulio Romano (1499-1546), a pupil of Raphael. The frescoes here are unmissable.

The subjects range from Olympian banquets in the Sala di Psiche and stylised horses in the Sala dei Cavalli to the most unusual of all, giants and grotesques wreaking havoc, fury and ruin around the walls of the Sala dei Giganti, where the painted columns seem to be crumbling down over you.

10.Map of Rome in the Ducal Palace

Map of Rome in the Ducal Palace, photo by FranzK. Wikimedia commons

The Ducal Palace of Mantua has a colourful Map of Rome on its wall. Palazzo Ducale was the Gonzaga family residence where they lived from 1328 to 1707. As stated the palace is a 500-room complex of buildings that include a castle, a basilica, courtyards and gardens. The painting occupies a portion of the wall.

Mantova truly has the best sights of architectural treasures, artifacts, palaces, and the medieval and Renaissance cityscape. It is also known for its significant role in the history of opera. The city can be admired from the San Giorgio Bridge while profile reflecting into the lakes that surround it. Tourists can also go for boat rides on the lakes, where cormorants, herons and lotus flowers are common sights.