Palazzo Ducale in Mantova

Castello Ducale dei Gonzaga or the Palazzo Ducale is located in the city of Mantua, or Mantova. The castle is located between Piazza Sordello and the shore of the bottom lake in the north east side of the city. The entire structure is made of a large number of gardens, courtyards and buildings. The structure had consisted of various broken buildings in an organic fashion in the 16th century and it was then that it evolved into a single large architectural complex occupying an area of 35,000 square meters. The castle was turned into a private residence in the year 1328 by the Gonzaga family when Duke Charles Ferdinand was sent to exile.

The complex was abandoned in the 19th century and was only later restored to make it a state museum.

The History of Palazzo Ducale

The oldest set of buildings in the complex overlook the piazza Sordello. These include the Magna Domus and the Palace of the Captain built by the Bonasolsi family which had dominated the city in the years 1273 till 1328. Several new factories were established under the Gonzaga family and joined the original complex. Various beautiful frescoes were added in the 14th century by Pisanello Gianfrancesco when he was appointed as the Marquis. The frescoes were recovered in the 20th century.

From 1395 till 1406, the castle of Saint George was built as per the designs of Bartolino from the city of Novara and this became the residence for the Gonzaga family. Frescoes from the 14th century from the Bridal chamber and on the main floor were also been found and restored.

In the year 1480, the Domus Nova was built opposite the old court and the same was restored by Duke Vincenzo I in the year 1587. The New Court was built by Federico II close to the Castle of San Giorgio. The New Court is built around the apartment of Troy. When Francis II died in the year 1519, Isabella d'Este moved to the apartment of the widow, which included a series of beatufiul rooms with various frescoes done by Lorenzo Leonbruno. These rooms included the well known Big Room, the secret garden, and the grotto.

Castle Structure of Castello Ducale dei Gonzaga

The Old Court

The oldest building in the complex is the beautiful Palazzo del Capitone which overlooks Piazza Sordello. The building was created by Guido Bonacolsi. Initially, the palace was built over two floors and stood separate from the Magna Domus. In the 14th century, Magna Domus was united with the Palazzo del Capitano with a large façade along with a portico as can be seen even today. A large living room was added on the second floor.

The New Court

The New Court was built later, close to the San Giorgio castle. The beautiful Hall of Archers today exhibits a collection of paintings which have been removed from the monasteries and churches of the area. The most well-known painting showcased here is the Gonzaga family in worship of Trinity which was done by Peter Paul Rubens and belonged to the Church of Holy Trinity. Several of the artworks are now scattered all over the region like the Baptism of Christ is now in Antwerp, while the Transfiguration of the Christ is at Nancy.

The Hall of Mirrors

The Hall of Mirrors is where the Gonzaga family gathered to dance. There are mirrors in rectangular shapes inside the room. Large dinner tables were also arranged inside the room at one point of time, in order to serve food to the family while they danced.

II of Manto

II of Manto is located within the New Court. Originally the room was the entrance to the Troy which was named so due to the frescoes which were found in the main hall. These frescoes were painted in the year 1538 by Giulio Romano on the orders of Federico II Gonzaga to renovate various rooms of the palace. The present-day appearance of the room is due to the changes made by William. The frescoes inside the room talk about the founding of the city.

San Barnaba Palatine Basilica

The basilica of San Barnaba was built in the year 1562 on the orders of Guglielmo Gonzaga. The work of the church was given to Giovan Battista Bertani. The church was conceived as the seat of the palace where various ceremonies were performed along with sacred music. In the recent years, an important discovery has been made in the church. The remains of four dukes along with the members of the ducal family which included William were found resting in the church.

As is evident from the wealth of culture and art contained within the walls of the Castello Ducale dei Gonzaga, a tourist in love with Italian history and culture would do well to pay Mantua, Mantove a more than cursory visit.

 

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