Mantova - From the
historic center to Palazzo Te: the Prince's Path
(Green Path)
8]
The second itinerary starts from Piazza Marconi,
surrounded by Renaissance porticos on two sides. Here, Casa Lanzini
can be seen, a typical Renaissance merchant's house, built around 1460. Its
façade has framed terracotta windows and it is crowned by merlons.
9]
The porticos continue along Corso Umberto I to Piazza Cavallotti,
where the Teatro Sociale stands. The building is inspired by
Neo-classical opera theatres; it was built between 1818 and 1822 by
architect Luigi Canonica. The imposing façade is preceded by a
pronaos with a triangular pediment supported by six Ionic columns on a
tall podium; the auditorium has five orders and still some elegant
decorations.
10]
Turning to the left and walking along Corso della Libertà, one reaches
piazza Martiri della Liberta, and then to the right, via Chiassi,
flanked by ancient buildings.
Worthy of mention: at number 17, a palace with a 16th century
tondo depicting a Madonna with Child; at number 20, the 16th
century Aldegatti Palace has a beautiful marble portal; ahead, the
Church of San Maurizio, designed by Cremonese Anton
Maria Viani at the beginning of the 17th century; it is a
single nave church with an elliptical dome; at number 42 the palace of
the Conti Cantoni Marca, crowned by 15th century merlons; at
number 59, a 16th century building with a marble portal and at
number 61, the palace owned by Marchesi Nerli Ballati, dating back
to the end of the 17th century.
San Barnaba - Photo (c)
giovanni_mn
11]
In piazza Bazzani, at the crossroads with via Poma rises the Church
of San Barnaba. The present building is an 18th
century reconstruction of a pre-existing structure documented since 1268.
The interior, with only one nave, deep apse and three chapels on both sides,
has elegant stuccowork framing the 18th century canvases painted
by local artists.
Turning left, in via Poma at number 18 stands Giulio Romano's House,
where the artist lived in his last years. He purchased the building in 1538
from the heirs of Ippolito degli Ippoliti, who had built it at the
beginning of the 16th century. Starting from 1540, the house was altered by
Giulio Romano himself. He completely rebuilt the façade, using plaster,
stucco and terracotta, on a rusticated base; on the ground floor, small
windows were opened; the arched portal is crowned by a niche holding a
statue of Mercury; on the upper floor the windows are topped by triangular
pediments and inserted in a series of round arches decorated with masks; in
the upper cornice festoons are interlaced with ram horns, alternated by
circular windows. Inside, in the great hall, Giulio Romano himself painted a
fresco decoration depicting Olympian divinities and mythological characters.
Opposite the house is the Court of Justice, built at the beginning
of the 17th century by the Gonzaga di Vescovato family,
a cadet branch. It was designed by Anton Maria Viani. The unusual
façade has twelve giant figures supporting the capitals of the architrave.
Crypt of San Sebastiano - Photo (c)
flatwhite
12]
At the end of via Poma, to the left, one reaches via Principe Amedeo,
along which is what is now seat of the Provincial Administration,
built for the Marchesi Guidi di Bagno and characterised by an
imposing façade dated 1857, and at number 29, a late 16th century
building with a marble portal; to the right starts via Acerbi along which is
Mantegna's House and the Tempio di San Sebastiano
13].
Building began on Mantegna'a house in 1476, but in 1494
it was not yet completed. It was not until 1496 that the artist could live
in it, four years before selling it off to Marchese Francesco II Gonzaga.
It is a cubic volume, each side measuring 25 meters, and it has three
stories crowned by a cornice. The famous internal courtyard is a circle of
11 meters in diameter.
Opposite, in Largo XXIV Maggio, rises the Tempio di San
Sebastiano, designed by Leon Battista Alberti.
Just a little ahead, at the crossroad with viale Risorgimento, is Palazzo
di San Sebastiano. Recently restored, it is the seat of the historic
section of the City Museum.
Palazzo Te - Photo (c)
albireo2006
14]
Once across viale Risorgimento, where the ancient Porta Posterla
was, one finally reaches the so-called Te area, which once
was an island to the south of the town.
It was separated by a canal and surrounded by a lake which was filled in
around the end of the 18th century. On this land the Gonzaga
commissioned Giulio Romano to build his masterpiece of 16th
century art, Palazzo Te.
Text courtesy in part of
Comune di Mantova Turist Office
(c) 1997-2008 E. Massetti
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