Last updated on .
The historic center of Mantua, Italy, is an open-air museum full of impressive architecture and attractions. It’s a compact area easy to get around on foot. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Piazza Sordello
Piazza Sordello is a great place to start exploring the historic center of Mantua. It contains some of the most important historic buildings in the city, many dating back to the Late Middle Ages. The square is named for 13th century poet Sordello da Goito.
The square was built in 1330 and originally named Piazza di San Pietro (St. Peter’s Square). During the rule of the Gonzaga family, Piazza Sordello became the center of political, religious, and social life in Mantua.
Vault of St. Peter
The Vault of St. Peter (Voltone di San Pietro), is an entrance to Piazza Sordello and one of the three ancient gates in the city walls. It was built by Pinamonte dei Bonacolsi (1206-1293) in the 1270s to fortify his palace. He initially purchased two buildings on either side of the gate. The buildings were connected by a bridge that was covered by architect Giovanni Battista Bertani (1516-1576) in the 16th century.
Ducal Palace
The most important building on the square is the Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale), the home of the Gonzagas for nearly 400 years. It includes around 500 rooms and occupies over 34,000 square meters. What you see from Piazza Sordello is the Palazzo del Capitano wing of the palace. The palace is covered in a separate entry.
Duomo of Mantua
Another important building is the Duomo of Mantua (Duomo di Mantova), also known as the Cathedral of St. Peter (Cattedrale di San Pietro). A church existed on the site during the Early Christian period followed by another that was destroyed by fire in 894 and rebuilt in the Pre-Romanesque style.
A Romanesque church was built starting in 1132, of which the bell tower and some walls survive. It was rebuilt in its current form between 1395 and 1401 by Francesco I Gonzaga (1366-1407). He commissioned a Gothic façade that was built by Jacobello (c. 1350-1409) and Pierpaolo dalle Masegne but only partially remains. Giulio Romano (c. 1499-1546) renovated the interior after a fire in 1545. 10 canvases looted during the French occupation are now on display in the Museum of Caen in France.
The main façade of the church is in the Baroque style while the south façade is Gothic and the bell tower is Romanesque. The main façade was built entirely out of Carrara marble by Giovanni Angelo Finali (1709-1772) between 1756 and 1761 on a design by Nicolò Baschiera (d. 1780). Finali and Giuseppe Tivani (1702-1772) sculpted the statues on the tympanum and on the sides.
The interior is on a Latin cross plan, and the nave is divided into five aisles by four rows of Corinthian columns. The two outer aisles and the nave are covered by flat ceilings while the inner aisles are covered by barrel vaults. Several altars and chapels line the aisles. Several members of the Gonzaga family are buried inside.
Episcopal Palace
To the left of the Duomo is the Episcopal Palace (Palazzo Vescovile). It was built for Giuseppe Bianchi between 1756 and 1765 and originally called Palazzo Bianchi. Alessandro Bianchi sold the building to the Diocese of Mantua in 1824. It now houses the bishop’s residence as well as the offices of the Curia. The vaulted ceilings on the first floor feature frescoes by Giuseppe Bazzani (1690-1769).
Palazzo Bonacolsi
To the left of the Episcopal Palace is Palazzo Bonacolsi, also known as Palazzo Castiglioni. It was the home of the ruling Bonacolsi family before they were overthrown by the Gonzagas on August 13, 1328. The palace was built by Pinamonte dei Bonacolsi at the end of the 13th century and seized by the Gonzagas. It was purchased by the Castiglioni family in the early 18th century. The tower behind it was built by Pinamonte in 1280 as part of the defensive system to protect his palace.
Piazza Lega Lombarda
Finally, if you take the passage through the Ducal Palace, you come to Piazza Lega Lombarda. This open space features gravel paths with tall trees and bushes. There are also memorials to Maurizio Ferrante Gonzaga (1861-1938) and Ferrante Vincenzo Gonzaga (1889-1943), two important Italian military leaders from the Gonzaga line.
Piazza delle Erbe
Piazza delle Erbe is the market square in the historic center of Mantua. It contains a couple of important medieval buildings. The square began to take shape in the late 12th century when it was designated a cattle market next to what is now the Basilica of Sant’Andrea.
It took its current shape in 1227 after the Palazzo del Podestà was built, splitting the square into two separate squares – Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza Broletto. When the Palazzo della Ragione was built in 1250, the square became the administrative center of the city.
After the Bonacolsis took power, followed by the Gonzagas, the administrative center shifted to Piazza Sordello and Piazza delle Erbe returned to its original function as a market square.
Palazzo della Ragione
The Palazzo della Ragione (Palace of Reason) is the most important building on the square. It was built in 1250 on the site of a hospice built by the Canossa family for pilgrims visiting Mantua to see the Blood of Christ at the Basilica of Sant’Andrea. It was used as a town hall and later a market.
In the 14th century, during the reign of the Gonzagas, the building was joined to the Palazzo del Podestà and used as a courthouse and notarial archive. It was renovated at the end of the 17th century and early 18th century by architect Doricilio Moscatelli (1660-1730), who radically altered its appearance. Architect Aldo Andreani restored the original façade in 1942. The building is currently used for exhibitions and special events.
Torre dell’Orologio
Attached to the Palazzo della Ragione is the Torre dell’Orologio, an astronomical clock tower. It was built between 1472 and 1473 by Luca Fancelli (c. 1430-c. 1502) on the foundations of a 13th century construction.
The clock was installed in 1473 by mathematician Bartolomeo Manfredi and ran until the mechanism failed in 1560. It was repaired by mathematician and astronomer Francesco Filopono and stopped again in 1700. Alberto Gorla restored it in 1989. The statue of the Virgin and the marble balcony date to the early 17th century.
The clock was once surrounded by 12 circular frescoes depicting the arts of the quadrivium, but only the four underneath the canopy are visible today. In the center is a disc depicting the 12 signs of the zodiac, with another disc representing the date of the lunar month. The dial contains a figure of the goddess Latona, the mother of Apollo and Diana, with a deer at her feet.
Inside the tower is the Museum of Time (Museo del Tempo), which costs €3 to enter (as of March 2025) or free for holders of the Mantova Sabbioneta Card. The museum features old hands and gears that were once used in the clock as well as a platform offering views of Mantua. It’s open daily except Mondays.
Rotunda of San Lorenzo
Right next to the Clock Tower is the Rotunda of San Lorenzo (Rotonda di San Lorenzo), which is the oldest church in the city. It sits about 150 centimeters below the rest of Piazza delle Erbe and was probably built atop a Roman temple dedicated to Venus.
The brick structure may have been built between 1081 and 1083 by Matilde di Canossa (c. 1046-1115) and was inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It was deconsecrated in 1579 and used as a warehouse and later a private building. The rotunda was slated for demolition in 1908 but was instead reconsecrated in 1911 and handed over to the Dominicans, who restored it and opened it to the public in 1926.
The interior is very simple with brick arches and columns, except for two made of marble, as well as a semicircular apse. The upper gallery served as the matronaeum, where female faithful would attend services. There are a few fading Byzantine-style frescoes dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries. The image of St. Lawrence painted in the apse dates back to the 14th century.
Merchant’s House
Finally, on the south side of the square is the Merchant’s House (Casa del Mercante). It was commissioned in 1455 by wealthy fabric merchant Giovanni Boniforte da Concorezzo. He was a supplier to the Gonzaga family and also married to Bartolomea Gonzaga. The ground floor of the three-story building features a portico supported by red marble columns. The decorations are in a Venetian style.
Basilica of Sant’Andrea
The Basilica of Sant’Andrea (Basilica di Sant’Andrea) is the largest church in the historic center of Mantua. It’s one of the most important 15th century Renaissance buildings in northern Italy. The façade faces Piazza Mantegna.
The basilica was built on the site of an older church dating back to 1046. Construction on the current church was commissioned by Ludovico III Gonzaga (1412-1478), who wanted to make the church a symbol of his family’s power and prestige. The architect was Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472), who started construction just before his death in 1472. Luca Fancelli (c. 1430-c.1502) then assumed responsibility for the project. Work wasn’t completed until 1790. The bell tower, however, pre-existed the church and was built in 1414.
Façade
The façade of the Basilica of Sant’Andrea was based on the Arch of Trajan at Ancona and was completed in 1488. It features a large central arch flanked by Corinthian pilasters with smaller openings on the right and left sides. It’s topped by a pediment with a vaulted structure above.
Nave
The grand interior of the church is based on a Latin cross and features a single nave covered with a barrel vault. The nave is 103 meters long, 19 meters wide, and 28 meters high. It was likely modeled on the Basilica of Maxentius in Rome.
The barrel vault was completed between 1490 and 1495. It was originally planned with coffers, but lack of funds prevented this from being carried out. Instead, the coffers were painted on.
Elaborate reliefs and paintings of biblical and evangelical scenes decorate the walls and pillars. They were completed by local painters led by Paolo Pozzo (1741-1803). There’s a beautiful fresco in the apse.
Chapels
Several chapels line the sides of the nave. The first chapel on the left is the Chapel of St. John the Baptist (Cappella di San Giovanni Battista), which includes the tomb of painter Andrea Mantegna (c. 1431-1506).
Of the most important chapels is the Chapel of the Immaculate (Cappella dell’Immacolata) houses the pavilion of the Blood of Christ. It was built between the late 17th century and early 18th century on a donation by Duchess Anna Isabella Gonzaga (1655-1703).
Dome
The dome took 50 years to complete between 1732 and 1782. It was designed by Filippo Juvarra (1678-1736), and the decorations were added by Paolo Pozzo in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It’s one of the largest in Italy at 80 meters high and a diameter of 25 meters.
Crypt
Directly below the dome is an octagonal marble fence. Underneath is the altar in the crypt that holds vessels purportedly containing dirt soaked with the Blood of Christ. According to tradition, Roman soldier Longinus collected the dirt from the foot of the Cross and brought it to Mantua. Portions were extracted by Charlemagne and taken to Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, and later to Weingarten Abbey, the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, and the Church of the Holy Cross in Guastalla. The vessels are displayed to the public on Good Friday.
The crypt was completed in 1597 along with the arms of the transept. It contains the tombs of several members of the Gonzaga family.
Tours of the Basilica of Sant’Andrea
Two different tours are available and online booking is required. The ticket office and meeting point is the third chapel on the right. All prices are current as of April 2025:
- A climb up to the dome is €15 for adults and €10 for visitors age 12-15. The minimum age for this tour is 12 and visitors must be able to climb 188 steps.
- A guided tour of the basilica and crypt is €6 for adults, €4 for visitors age 6-26, and free for kids under 6.
- Access to the crypt is €4 for adults, €2 for visitors age 6-26, and free for kids under 6. Tickets can be purchased on-site without a reservation.
Teatro Bibiena
Teatro Bibiena, also known as the Bibiena Scientific Theatre (Teatro Scientifico del Bibiena) or Scientific Theatre (Teatro Scientifico), is a couple blocks east of Piazza delle Erbe. It was commissioned by Count Carlo Ottavio di Colloredo (1723-1786) and built by Antonio Galli da Bibiena (1697-1774) between 1767 and 1769. The façade, which was built between 1773 and 1775, was designed by Giuseppe Piermarini (1734-1808). Paolo Pozzo (1741-1803) carried out the decorations inside the entrance hall.
The theatre officially opened on December 3, 1769. A few weeks after its opening, on January 16, 1770, a 13-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) performed a concert there. In addition to concerts, the theatre also hosted conferences, conventions, and scientific discourses, hence the name Scientific Theatre.
Today, the theatre is still used for its original purpose but is also a museum. It’s typically open for visitors daily except Mondays but has been closed for renovation since October 1, 2024 (as of April 2025). Admission is €3 (as of April 2025) and free for holders of the Mantova Sabbioneta Card.
The intimate space has a bell-shaped plan with a capacity of 363 people. Four rows of boxes surround the sides of the theatre, while two rows are behind the stage.
The stage is 12.3 meters wide and 5.6 meters deep. Several original monochrome frescoes can also be found throughout the interior.
Marani Gardens
A short walk from Teatro Bibiena are the Marani Gardens (Giardini Marani). This public park is located on the shore of Lago Inferiore, one of the three remaining artificial lakes created in the 12th century to improve Mantua’s natural defenses. The lakes were created by widening the Mincio River.
Along the shore of the lake, there’s a gravel path and benches to sit and enjoy the scenery. In the summer, you can also find companies offering cruises.
