Mantova is a city located in the north of Italy. Once it was part of the Roman Empire, then, for fifty years, belonged to Austria, at the end of the XVIII century was conquered by Napoleon and only in 1866 got rid of foreign domination. Mantua attractions are located in the historic center, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The emergence of the city
The first inhabitants in the territory of modern Mantoux were the Etruscans and Gauls. In the second century BC e. the city became the center of Italian lands colonized by the Roman Empire.
In the XI century, Mantova became part of the vast possessions of Boniface III of Tuscany. His daughter died in 1115, and then republican rule was established in the city. Mantua owes many of its sights to representatives of the Bonacolsi clan. They ruled for more than half a century. During this period, many buildings were built in the city, most of which have survived to this day and today are included in many tourist routes.
Mantuan Duchy
The reign of Bonacolsi ended in 1328 with the assassination of Rinaldo Bonacolsi. The power passed to Gonzaga, who subsequently received the ducal crown.
Mantua attractions attract thousands of tourists every year. The abundance of cultural monuments is due to some facts from the history of the city. Representatives of the Gonzaga clan have done a lot for the development of art. During their reign, many artists, poets, sculptors, writers lived in Mantua. Here came fame to the Dutch painter Peter Rubens.
In 1628, the war for the Mantuan inheritance began. It lasted four years. Gonzaga managed to keep their possessions, but their family began to fade by the beginning of the XVIII century. After the death of the last duke, in 1708, Mantova passed into the possession of his relatives from the Alsatian house. For several decades, the city belonged to the Habsburgs. From a center of art rich in sights, Mantova has become a bastion of a bulky empire.
French occupation
This city is surrounded by lakes. In ancient times, it was an island, but after carrying out work to regulate Mincio, a river flowing in northern Italy, it turned out to be on the peninsula. One of the travelers who visited here said of Mantua as follows: "this fortress is unthinkable to take an attack." He was wrong.
The city was surrounded by lakes, in addition, it had reliable fortifications. When Napoleon came here in 1797, his army, indeed, had to try a lot to take this city. In Mantua, the French commander saw the "key to the Apennines." After a long siege, he still managed to take possession of it, after which most of the local churches and monasteries were looted.
In 1810, the French executed Andreas Gopher, a national hero, leader of a guerrilla war. The death of this man was heroic - before the execution, he behaved courageously. According to one of the historians, the news of his execution plunged the Austrian court into embarrassment, which by that time had managed to reconcile with Bonaparte and was preparing for his marriage to the daughter of Emperor Franz - a man whose name was praised by the fearless Andreas Gofer before his death.
Risorgimento
Translated, this term means "renewal, rebirth." Used when it comes to the Italian national liberation movement of foreign domination. The era of Risorgimento begins in the middle of the XIX century. It was a complex, long process, which led to the formation of a single state. During the Risorgimento, the city of Mantova became part of Italy.
sights
The historic center of this city was included in the UNESCO heritage list in 2008. Most of the architectural structures are renaissance-style buildings. The main attraction of this Italian city is the Mantua Cathedral. It was designed by the painter and architect Giulio Romano, who lived in the first half of the XVI century. Near the cathedral is the Ducal Palace, founded at the end of the 13th century. This attraction is also called the Palazzo Ducale. Other historical monuments of the ancient Italian city:
- Basilica of Sant Andrea.
- Church of San Sebastian.
- Rotonda San Lorenzo.
- Castle of St. George.
- The Palazzo del Te.
- Torre della Gabbia tower.
Mantua Cathedral
The first buildings on the site of this temple appeared in the era of early Christianity. Then a building was erected here, which did not last long - it was destroyed by a fire at the end of the 9th century. The attraction of Mantua, which is visited today by tourists from all over the world, was erected around the beginning of the XII century.
The cathedral is a Romanesque five-nave basilica. At the end of the XIV century, the building was restored. The architectural ensemble was complemented by a clock tower and a Gothic facade, which is depicted on one of the paintings by Italian artist Domenico Morone.
Ducal palace
Part of the architectural ensemble, one of the main attractions of Mantua, was built at the beginning of the XIV century by order of Guido Bonacolsi. The earliest building is the "Captain's Palace". Later appeared a large house and the castle of San Giorgio.
In the XV century, Domus Nova appeared on the territory of the Palazzo Ducale, which is translated into Russian as “new home”. Another object of the Mantua architectural ensemble is Corte Nuova. Celebrities such as Leonardo da Vinci, Andrea Mantegna, Donatello, Giulio Romano, Leon Battista Albert Pisanello lived and worked in the palace.
The ducal residence in this building was located almost four hundred years - from 1328-1707. After the Gonzag dynasty faded, the palace fell into decay. Overhaul was carried out only in the XX century.
The Ducal Palace houses the frescoes of Pisanello, created in 1433. The Novois Gallery, built in 1778, houses several altars by Francesco Borgan and Carlo Bononi. One of the masterpieces of the palace is the degli Dosi Chamber painted in frescoes, the name of which in Italian means “room of spouses”.
Sant Andrea
In the Middle Ages, the monastery church was located on the territory of the basilica. A wall and a bell tower have been preserved from it. In the XV century, Lodovico III Gonzaga came up with the idea to rebuild the church, create a solemn temple, which would become a symbol of the power of his kind.
At that time, Leon Battista Alberti was considered the best architect. He created on the instructions of the ruler a project of the basilica, on the implementation of which another master, Luciano de Laurana, was already working in connection with his death. In the XV century, a clock tower was built, where a bottle with the blood of Christ was later stored, and a facade in the shape of a triumphal arch.
Construction was completed only in the XVIII century. This is a magnificent, but somewhat disharmonious temple. In its architectural appearance, there is a certain inconsistency of the individual parts. The fact is that the construction took more than two centuries and, accordingly, adherents of various architectural directions worked at its improvement at different times.
Rotunda in Mantua (Rotonda di San Lorenzo)
The Rotunda of San Lorenzo is a religious building, which is a Romanesque-style building. Built in the XI century. This is the oldest church in Mantua.
The temple is dedicated to St. Lawrence, the archdeacon of the Christian community, who was executed in 258 during the persecution. Today, the church holds frescoes of the Byzantine type of the XII century. In 1579, the Rotonda di San Lorenzo was closed for worship. For some time the building was used as residential or commercial. In the XX century, the temple was reconstructed. Divine services were resumed in 1926.
Palazzo del te
This building once served as the country villa of Federico II Gonzaga. The Palazzo del Te is located in a swampy area. It was built in just a year and a half according to the project of Giulio Romano. The artist devoted more than ten years to painting the interior walls of the villa.
The building has a square shape. Inside is a garden framed by a colonnade. On the external facades - pilasters. The walls are decorated with niches, columns, blind windows. The Palazzo del Te has three rooms. One is decorated in the ancient Greek style. The Horse Hall is decorated with images of the Duke's trotters. In the third room is the famous fresco with a plot of ancient myths.
Torre della Gabbia
This building once served as a fortification. In the XX century, it became historical monuments and was included in many tourist routes. Traveling in Italy is a kind of excursion into the history of the Renaissance. A tour of Mantua allows you to get acquainted with the monuments of both antiquity and the Renaissance.
The old building resembles a tower. In fact, this building is a rather spacious building, and in the Middle Ages it was used as a prison. The prisoners did not sit in prison - they were put on public display in cages attached to the walls of the building.
How to get there
Mantova is located 150 km from Milan. From the airport of the largest city of Lombardy can be reached by car, train or bus. The distance from Verona to Mantua is 30 km. From Venice - 160 km. Traveling routes in Italy can include visits to the sights of several cities in this hospitable sunny country. Most tourists arrive at Rimini Airport. From here to Mantua - 30 km.
Excursions
Can I see all the main attractions of Mantoux in 1 day? Alone, a person who has never been to Italy is unlikely. There are many tours in Italy, involving a visit to this city. In addition, there are programs that also include visits to cities in other European countries. For example, "The Great Cities of Northern Italy + Austria."
"Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy" - a weekly tour of Italy worth 60 thousand rubles. Tourists arrive from Moscow to the homeland of the famous character of the comedy Goldoni - in Bergamo. From there they leave for Bologna, making a stop with Cremona on the road. The tour also includes walking tours of the cities of Emilia-Romagna, Ravenna, Milan, Verona and, of course, Mantua.
For those who reached the city on their own, it is worth using the services of local guides. One day excursions:
- "Visit to The Palace."
- "Mantova is the sleeping beauty of Lombardy."
- "Mantova astrological."
- "Visit to the Ducal Palace."
- "Mantova Christian."
- “Mantova. The city of three lakes. "
In an Italian city with such a rich history, there are several Catholic churches. During the Mantua Christian tour, tourists visit the Cathedral, the Church of Santa Maria del Gradara and other religious buildings. The tour lasts five hours. Cost - 350 euros (25 thousand rubles.).
In Mantua, the works of Renaissance artists, unique Christian relics are kept. Accompanied by a professional guide, this quiet city can be explored without fuss. Duration of the excursion “Mantova. Sleeping Beauty of Lombardy ”- two to three hours (depending on the number of objects included in the route). Cost - 140 euros (10 thousand rubles).
A sightseeing tour of Mantua includes visits to the following attractions:
- Ducal Palace.
- House of Rigoletto.
- Piazza Sordello.
- Scientific Theater Bibiena.
- Domus Romana.
- Rotunda.
- Sant Andrea
- Merchant's house.
Hotels
Mantua hotel reviews are only positive. Finding the right hotel in a city that has been one of the most visited in Italy for 150 years is easy. There are chain hotels, motels, country guest houses, hostels.
The most popular Mantua hotels:
- Hotel Casa Poli.
- Hotel dei Gonzaga.
- Hotel Broletto.
- La Favorita.
Restaurants
The cuisine of the northern regions of Italy is diverse, rich in fish and meat dishes. Lombardy has excellent conditions for cheese making. Here are vast rice fields. Therefore, Mantua establishments offer many types of risotto, a huge selection of cheeses. According to tourists' reviews, the best restaurants in the city include:
- Lo Scalco Grasso.
- Trattoria La Stella.
- Carlo Govi Ristorante.
Reviews
Travelers speak of Mantua as the most mysterious city in Italy. Sights, which are described above, not all cause delight at first sight. So, the Palazzo del Te outside is a gloomy building. But few people are indifferent to the frescoes that are in the palace, which served as the residence of Gonzaga. This castle museum should not be visited with children - some frescoes depict fairly frank scenes from the life of the inhabitants of Olympus.
Other attractions also delight adults, and young tourists may find it boring. With children, you can visit the park area by the lake, a square with a monument to Virgil, a great native of the city. In general, about excursions in Mantua, an original city that combines ancient art with the Renaissance, reviews are enthusiastic.