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The state rooms in the Palazzo Te are decorated with some of the most incredible Renaissance frescoes in northern Italy. The palace is located in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Mantua.
Chamber of the Devices
After checking out the exterior and courtyards of the palace, we visited the state rooms starting with the Chamber of the Devices. It features a frieze filled with emblems of the Gonzaga family.
Chamber of the Sun and the Moon
Next was the Chamber of the Sun and the Moon, which was used as a salon for guests. The frescoes on the ceiling were most likely painted in 1527 by Francesco Primaticcio, an apprentice of the palace’s architect, Giulio Romano.
Hall of the Horses
We continued through the Loggia of the Muses into the Hall of the Horses, which is dedicated to the horses in the famous Gonzaga stables. Six life-sized horses are painted on the walls of which two have names. The room was completed around 1528.
Chamber of Cupid and Psyche
The frescoes started to get more detailed and complicated as we entered the Chamber of Cupid and Psyche. Only the most important visitors were allowed to enter this room.
The south and west walls portray the preparation of the country banquet with Cupid and Psyche. Other mythological tales adorn the rest of the walls and ceiling. The room was completed in 1528.
Chamber of the Winds
The Chamber of the Winds, also completed in 1528, has an astrological theme. Signs of the zodiac are depicted on the walls while ancient gods are painted on the ceiling.
Chamber of the Eagles
The Chamber of the Eagles was used by Federico II Gonzaga as a bedroom. It’s named for the four black eagles in each corner of the room. Mythological scenes are painted on the walls and ceiling.
Chamber of the Stuccoes
After passing through the Loggia of David, we entered the Chamber of the Stuccoes, which is decorated with stucco reliefs by Primaticcio and Giovan Battista Mantovano. The frieze depicts a procession of Roman soldiers while the ceiling contains mythological figures. The room was finished in 1531.
Chamber of the Emperors
Next was the Chamber of the Emperors, which was finished in 1531. Frescoes portray great rulers throughout history including Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Augustus, and Philip II of Macedon. The frieze dates back to the late 18th century as the original was lost.
Chamber of the Giants
The most incredible room in Palazzo Te is the Chamber of the Giants, which is a masterpiece of Giulio Romano. Finished in 1535, the room depicts the story of the Fall of the Giants by Latin poet Ovid’s Metamorphoses. It’s the most popular room in the entire palace and has quite an effect on every visitor to pass through it. I’ll never forget this room.
Minor Rooms
The next rooms were anticlimactic, passing through the Small Cross Vault Chamber and the Small Chamber of Grotesques, both completed in 1533. The Chamber of the Candelabra was stuccoed in 1527 while the rest of the decorations were added in 1813.
A combination of decoration from the 16th century and 1813, the Chamber of the Caryatids contains reliefs transferred from the Palazzo Ducale.
Finally, we visited the Chamber of the Victories, which contains an ornate ceiling showing scenes from daily life, and a gallery displaying artifacts and coins from the Gonzaga era of Mantua.
