Mantegna's Camera degli Sposi
Surrounded on three sides by the lakes formed by the Mincio river, Mantua is one of the great Renaissance cities of Italy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with Sabbioneta. For almost four centuries, from 1328 to 1707, it was ruled by the Gonzaga family, who made it one of the most refined courts in Europe, calling here artists such as Mantegna, Alberti and Giulio Romano.
Their residence, the Palazzo Ducale, is one of the largest palaces in Europe: a city within the city of over 500 rooms, courtyards, gardens and churches built over three centuries. Its greatest treasure is the Camera degli Sposi, the "Bridal Chamber", frescoed by Andrea Mantegna between 1465 and 1474: the Gonzaga family is portrayed with their court, dogs and horses, and in the centre of the vault an illusionistic oculus opens onto the sky, with cherubs and ladies leaning over the balustrade, one of the first examples of "di sotto in su" perspective in history. The centre of Mantua has elegant squares, Piazza Sordello and Piazza delle Erbe, the Basilica of Sant'Andrea by Leon Battista Alberti and the Rotonda di San Lorenzo.
Tip: the Camera degli Sposi is visited in small groups for a few minutes; book in advance. Boat trips on the Mincio lakes show the city's profile from the water.
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