Mantova Things to Do

Originally the Gonazga family's stables, Federico II commissioned Giulio Romano to make the stables into a great palace. He wanted it for his pleasure with his mistress, Isabella Boschetti.

Palazzo Te is a large square volume with the courtyard at the center & followed by a vast rectangular garden. The garden is bordered on the right by the Fruttiera, now used for exhibitions. On the left stands the Grotto.

Fredrico loved HORSES. The State Room's walls are subdivided by frescoed Corinthian pilasters & with niches containing painted statues. The pilasters frame six horses standing in front of the landscape backgrounds. The horses look lifesize & in 3-D!

Somewhat sexual, "Room of Cupid & Psyche" contains several erotic scenes. It was used for banquets & has compartments of various shape, with the story of Psyche, which celebrates the power of love.

THE MOST IMPORTANT cycles in "Italian Mannerist Painting" is "La sala dei Venti o dello Zodiaco" (Room of the Winds or of the Zodiac) a mythology buff's delight.

My favorite, Room of the Eagles of Phaethon, the bedchamber of Federic II, takes its name from the myth, Fall of Phaethon with Amazons, Centaurs, Titans, Naiads & Eagles.

"Loggia Grande or Loggia di Davide" connects with the garden. The paintings depict the Stories of David, king of ancient Israel.
"Sala dei Giganti" (Room of the Giants) is the best-known room. The decoration is paintings of the "Fall and Ruin of the Giants Struck by the Wrath of Zeus"

The acoustics in this room are quite unusual with sound waves bouncing off the ceiling which amplify the voice from one corner to the one diagonally opposite. It's fun to whisper & have your partner in the other corner hearing every word.
After the Room of the Giants come a series of rooms decorated in the early nineteenth century with grotesques called "Ala napoleonica (Napoleonic wing).

It takes about 1 1/2 hours to tour & costs 9 Euro, which includes an Art Exhibition.

This gentleman was kind enough to take me on a tour through his truck. It is all hydraulic with airconditioning that even was working when the truck was open. His prices must have been very good as he was very busy. He was not to busy, however, to take time out to show me around.

This was the first time we have seen an outdoor market as big as Mantova's. The majority of the market stands were actually very modern, sophisticated trucks. The sides and ends of the trucks opened up automatically using hydraulics. The trucks could open and display their wares in a short time and when the market was over close up and be gone in a few minutes.
The truck in this picture is owned by Angelo and Attilo Mimini who only sell candy part time out of the truck. Both are full time farmers in Brescia. The truck cost them as much as a new house. All the candy racks slide out of the truck which is equipped with a sink and airconditioning.

ecco il cuore di mantova: la sua piazza + "grande" (tutto è relativo quando la città è minuscola!)
Passeggiando non saprete dove guardare: di fronte a voi il duomo, alla vostra destra il palazzo ducale (uno dei + bei palazzi d'Europa) e alla sinistra una sfilza di palazzi d'epoca... da giramento di testa!
Attenti ai ciotoli: non indossate scarpe col tacco....
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Mantova's biggest square (in a relativistic way as the city in itself is tiny!). walking around you don't know where to watch as you'll find a prestigious cathedral surrounded by ancient palaces (on the right hans side you'll see Palazzo ducale one of the most beautiful in Europe )
Pay attention to the pebbles and do not wear high heels!

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The church of San Francesco was built between the late 13th and early 14th century on the site of an oratory dedicated to one of the followers of Saint Francis. The Franciscan order and the church was under the protection of the Gonzaga, thus the church became no less then mausoleum for the Gonzaga family.
The church was seriously damaged in the allied bombings in WW II, and was completely rebuilt.
At the back inside the church is the Gonzaga Chapel, where numerous members of the family were buried.

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See the glimpse of the majestic interior pf the Basilica di Sant'Andrea.
This great monumental interior, in Latin-cross plan, have a nave and square side chapels alternating with smaller chapels covered by cupolas. The idea of a single hall with side chapels is typical of Alberti and was later frequently adopted in 16th and 17th century architecture.
One of the smallest chapel holds the tomb of Andrea Mantegna, buried beneath the floor in 1506. On the left, next to the entrance door is the lovely bronze bust of Mantegna.

The bell tower of Palatine Basilica of Santa Barbara rises above the scenographic Cortile della Cavallerizza, which makes a part of the Palazzo Ducale complex.
The bell tower, detached from the body of the church, was designed by Bertani who may have taken inspiration from San Biagio in Montepulciano.

The complex of the Palatine Basilica of Santa Brbara was built in the 16th century, to serve as the palatine church where services were to be held for court ceremonies involving personages of high rank.
Entrance is through an elegant pronaos (porch) with three arches and pilaster strips. On the left side, detached, but incorporated in the portico is the bell tower with the sort of round aedicule at the top. Inside the church there are catafalques for the funerals of the Dukes.