Things to do in Gazzuolo Italy – what to see attractions and activities

The Tower of Vespasiano, otherwise known as the Torrazzo, is an architectural structure that constitutes the symbol of the history of the country. The fortress is 28 meters high and inside it there are several rooms. One of the rooms was used as a prison upon intervention by the forces of the Carabinieri.

The Museum of Sacred Art was opened to the public in 1990 and welcomes finds such as jewels and sacred furnishings. The most prominent object is the Toson d'Oro, a jewel granted as an honor to the knights of the empire made of pure gold. The “Silver Chalice” donated by Vespasiano to the Church of Sabbioneta is also preserved.

The Teatro all'Antica was commissioned by Vespasiano to the architect Vincenzo Scamozzi in 1587. The project was the first example of theatre of the modern era not bound by existing buildings. The internal structure recalls the scheme of classic theaters with semicircle in the center and raised stage. The loggia, formerly home of the ladies, was frescoed by artists from the workshop of Paolo Veronese.

The Palazzo Ducale, also known as Palazzo Grande, in Sabbioneta in the province of Mantua has an elegant facade and an ashlar portico placed on a raised level. The historic two-storey building overlooks Piazza Ducale. Historical chronicles note that in November 1559 a violent fire destroyed the original structure, it was rebuilt between 1560 and 1561. It represents the oldest of the buildings built by Vespasiano Gonzaga (1531-1591) (son of Rodomonte and Isabella Colonna.

The Gallery of the Ancients was built in the second half of the 16th century and was called 'The Great Corridor'. It did not have the function of connecting the ducal environments to some secret place, but it was established to contain the archaeological collection of the then Duke and a collection of marbles purchased by the royal court of Spain.

Porta Vittoria was built in the second half of the 16th century and represents one of the two entrance doors to the city of Sabbioneta. It is characterized by an impressive appearance and has a façade divided into two parts of which the lower one has three arched openings and the upper one is a loggia. Above the entrance are the coats of arms of the Gonzaga-Colonna family and an epigraph in Latin.

The Imperial Gate of Sabbioneta was built in 1579 and was dedicated to the Emperor Rudolf II of Habsburg. It stands out for its façade composed of smooth ravines and the neoclassical gable that replaced the original loggia.

The Postojna Wax Museum is located in the beautiful Palazzo Ippoliti also known as Palazzo Castello. Part of this building is private, another is owned by the Municipality. The latter is used to present the Waxes. In the museum it is possible to observe about eighty life-size wax statues, presented in particular sets and with as many sound and light effects. In all, there are eight rooms.

Loghino Ariello, an ancient residence of the workers of the marsh reeds. Today it is used as a museum and tourist office.Adjacent you can see the annex of the Mincio hostel. We are in the heart of the Mincio Park in Mantua.

The Oasis of Bine was created in the second half of 1700, to protect the swamp (the dead Oglio area) that is isolated from the river by a rectification intervention. It is located on a site of community importance and in a special protection zone, in the Oglio Sud Regional Park. It covers 144 hectares on a horseshoe shape.

Concocted in 1535 by Giulio Romano,it was the spectacular rustic villa Gonzaga of Risorgimento. The interior rooms were painted in large part by Giulio Romano. The palace now houses the Museo Civico di Palazzo Te.

It was born in 1962. The history of the museum is linked to the Academy of Fine Arts. Collections are preserved with historical and cultural and artistic works by artists from Modena. It is divided into two sections, an archaeological-ethnological one and the historical and artistic one.

Casa Mantegna: It is believed that the building was built in 1476.Having been given the land by the Gonzaga family in the year 1476, Andrea Mantegna came up with a masterpiece. The building is currently used as an exhibition space. It is comprised of a number of rooms. The rooms are built around a unique cylindrical patio.

San Sebastian Church was designed by Leon Battista Alberti in 1400, it is a solemn and austere church with a Greek cross plan and covered with a cross vault. Today the church is used as a memorial chapel.

The courthouse located in via Poma is rich in frescoes made with stucco within the various rooms of the building, which create a sort of link between one environment and another. The same is characterized by a garden surrounded by stables and other environments.

Chiesa di San Francesco is one of the ancient churches located near the railway station. The church is quite big and offers a great atmosphere for relaxation. With the ornamental windows and the wooden roof, you sure will be treated to a magnificent building reflecting a sense of simplicity.

The Virgiliano Archaeological Museum dates back to 1981 and is based in Pietole. In the rooms of the museum there are objects that combine tradition with contemporary art. Today in the museum we can admire about 55 paintings by the great painter Ugo Celada and an archaeological collection by Vicenzo Prati. Almost all the works were donated by the citizens of the municipality of Virgil.

Piazza martiri di Belfiore takes its name from the patriots who aimed at the unity of Italy in the Risorgimento executed by the Austrian government in the period 1852-1855 mostly in the valley of Belfiore. The monument shown in the photo is not in today's square but is close to the place of executions in the square in front of the Valletta di Belfiore. (rebuilt in 2002 after being removed from Piazza Sordello in 1933 and disassembled with the placement of the various components in various places - Palazzo Ducale -Sebastiano). Today's square is located at the confluence of various streets and allows access to the historic center.

Palazzo Valenti, located in Via Pietro Frattini, 7, maintains the beauty and majesty of the frescoes and statues that compose it and of typical Renaissance and Baroque style.

The Palazzo d'Arco museum located in Piazza d'Arco in Mantua, covers two floors: ground floor and first floor. On the ground floor visitors can observe the greenhouse, the archive, the exedra (sort of opening an interior wall), the theater, concierge, entrance hall, the yellow room, the empire room, chapel, hall caesari, anti-chapel and saddlery.

In Via Arrivabene we can observe the Arrivabene tower probably built by Luca Fancelli around 1481. It was built and belongs to the building owned by the Arrivabene family.

The Arch Palace is a house built around 1784 by Antonio Colonna on commission of the Arch Counts. In 1740 part of the family settled in Mantua inheriting this palace from the Counts Chieppio. In 1872 Antonio d'Arco enlarged the house by purchasing the land that goes beyond the current garden and parts of Renaissance construction. Today, the Arch Palace is a museum containing all the furnishings typical of the Renaissance period and it is possible to visit it.

A true combination of medieval architecture, in which you can admire the Secchia kidnapped: a wooden bucket that commemorates the victory of Modena over Bologne during the battle of Zappolino in 1325.

The Norsa Torrazzo synagogue is the only Jewish synagogue to have survived the demolition that took place between 1899 and 1902. In 1825 it was used as a nursing home and still contains the typical furniture of the eighteenth century.

Palazzo Canossa was built around the '600 on commission of the Veronese family of the Canossa. The main facade is made of rusticated, has a sort of marble portal on which are placed two dogs and a baroque staircase.

The Rotonda di San Lorenzo is the city’s oldest church. The church is believed to have been built in the late 11Th century. The church is believed to have been built on a site, where a Roman Empire temple dedicated to Venus once stood. The church is located south of Basilica di Sant’Andrea, opposite Piazza delle Erbe.

The construction of the Sordi Palace took place in 1680, commissioned by the Marquis Benedict to F. Geffels. It is made according to the typically Baroque style; above the main door, G.B. Barberini has created a high relief depicting “The Madonna and Child” and immersed in a rustic plaster and bas-reliefs made of stucco and marble. This building cannot be visited as it is private.

Piazza delle Erbe is surrounded by buildings of considerable importance from various points of view. To the south we have the Merchant's House built in 1455 and followed the roundabout of San Lorenzo, Palazzo della Ragione, Torre dell'Orologio and finally the Palazzo del Podestà built around the twelfth century.

The Basilica of St. Andrew is designed by Leon Battista Alberti. Built in three centuries and ended in 1772, it preserves the sacred vases containing the blood of Christ.

The civic tower founded around the 13th century according to a typically medieval style and belongs to the city walls, is about 27 meters high; in the beginning it had an external staircase with which communicated with the square. In 1492 it was equipped with a bell cell that today allows the concert of eight bells to be held.

The palace of the podestà built around 1227, together with the civic tower was the administrative center of Mantua and, following the construction of the arengario and the palace of reason it connects to the former general warehouses. On the main wall of the building there is a typical statue of the '200 representing Virgil equipped with a cap and arms placed on the lectern.

The Virgiliana Square was built by Paolo Pozzo in 1801 on commission by Sextius Alexandre de Miollis with the aim of using it for military exercises. In the beginning, a statue depicting Virgil was made, then replaced by the current statue and inaugurated in 1927.

The cage tower was built around the thirteenth century by the Bonacolsi. Around 1576, the year in which Duke G. Gonzaga had a sort of open-air jail built that referred to the idea of a real cage, the tower took precisely this name.