Last updated on .
The Castle of Saint George (Castello di San Giorgio) is part of the Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale) in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Mantua, Italy. The palace was the home of the Gonzaga family during their reign in Mantua.
History
The Castle of Saint George was built between 1395 and 1406 by Francesco I Gonzaga to defend Mantua. In 1459, it was renovated as a palace by Ludovico III Gonzaga. It was built on the site of a church, Santa Maria di Capo di Bove.
Entering the Castle
We started our visit by walking through a tunnel to Piazza Castello. Then we walked over a bridge and entered the castle.
Bridal Chamber
Next, we walked up a covered stairway decorated with frescoes and made our way to the most famous room in the castle, the Bridal Chamber (Camera degli Sposi).
The room is filled with incredible frescoes painted by Andrea Mantegna between 1465 and 1474.
There are some different scenes represented in the frescoes. The Court Scene shows Ludovico III with his wife, Barbara of Brandenburg, seated with a group of relatives.
The Meeting Scene depicts Ludovico III meeting with his son, Cardinal Francesco Gonzaga, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III, and Christian I of Denmark.
On the ceiling, Mantegna painted an “opening” with a blue sky, with playful cherubs and people looking down into the room.
Other Rooms
Next, we walked through a couple more rooms the featured frescoes on the ceiling and displayed a few works of religious art.
We finished our visit to the Castle of Saint George in the courtyard before moving on to see the Old Court (Corte Vecchia).
