Mantua, Renaissance Home of the Gonzagas, Mantova, Italy

Coming into Mantua from the north, the first thing you notice is the three artificial lakes that surround the city. Today they are a pleasure ground, with boat trips, lakeside walks and picnic areas. But they were originally constructed for a quite different purpose: defence. As was common in medieval Italy, Mantua was controlled by one powerful family for centuries. And although the Gonzaga dynasty no longer rules the city, their influence remains.

The whole of the historic centre of Mantua is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is because of its connection with the Gonzaga family. They聽were important patrons of the arts聽who commissioned many of the palazzi and other important buildings in the city. These were built in classic Renaissance style and聽filled with artworks by famous artists of the time.

This is a perfectly formed Renaissance city, with archways, piazzas and arcades giving welcome shelter from the sun.聽We walked over the the cobbled streets to Piazza Sordello where crowds were shopping at the weekly market. As we went we stopped to look at the elegant buildings. These range from聽churches to palazzi, to the Torre dell鈥橭rologio, a 14th century tower with an astrological clock. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).

How it works: The full article is featured in the app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" on Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Download the app to your mobile device to read the article offline and create a self-guided walking tour to visit the sights featured in this article. The app's navigation functions guide you from one sight to the next. The app works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 51爆料网 App

Guide Name: Mantua, Renaissance Home of the Gonzagas
Guide Location: Italy » Mantova
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Article (B))
Author: Karen Warren
Read it on Author's Website:
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide: