Vincenzo Girasoli
Mantua, a jump between her wonders
Mantua, the city of Lombardy vaunted by Dante in the canto XX of his Divine Comedy, motherland of Virgilio, the same Mantua that, up to today, is part of the World’s heritage of Unesco for its Renaissance beauty, it’s history, it’s art. The point in which three regions are linked: Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Veneto.
Mantova is a gem on the water. It still tells a palpable story among the streets that branch to the center of the city; between the buildings, clear focus of a splendor never waned.
Ducale Palace, with its 500 rooms, courtyards and gardens, is a real city-palace built by the Gonzaga family to protect the city. Its joint buildings represents the union of culture and history that managed to distinguish its self and remain untouched with the passing of time. It’s infinite treasures, kept in the various areas of the palace, are a precious good for Mantua’s people, proud of their glorious origins, and for all of Italy, unceasing collector of incredible discoveries.
The Mantua arcades, the towers that enrichen the streets, are characterized by a particular tower, the “Torre dell’Orgoglio”, which stands beside the Region Palace and the Podestà palace. The peculiarity of this watch is the actual scansion of time. Here we find roman numbers who indicate the hours, but there are also zodiac signs, planetary hours, the positions of stars and the moon’s days.
Just as every respected Italian city, Mantua has its own Duomo, in which under the altar the body of Saint Anselm is conserved, patron of the city. Out of all churches, a highlight on the oldest must be done, the Rotonda of Saint Lorenzo.
However, Mantua does not only have art and culture. Its position, with artificial basins who protect the city, allow the city to be a brilliant destination for its amazing Nature. Water is the main element of its history, with flowers that decorate the waters and legends that are told from faraway lands. Like lily pads which cover a part of the various lakes. It seems that, in ancient times, flowers from the Orient lived in the waters of Mantua. Agricultural lands and pumpkin lands. Above all, home town of the Sbrisolona, the apple cake, breakfast and snack for many Italians.
Thanks to this blossoming and unusual nature, Mantua is between the Italian cities “without date of expire”. In whatever month of the year there will be something that will take your breath away and will amaze whoever decides to “lose himself” in the many wonders on the city, Italian capital of culture 2016.
See you to the next trip,
