San Giorgio di Mantova
Mantua: a World Heritage Site city
Hello friends, today I want to talk to you about Mantua, an Italian Municipality located in Lombardy. The city has a population of 48,646 and is the capital of the Province of Mantua. In 2008, Mantua and Sabbioneta were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. That's why I want to show you all the beauties of this city.
The history of Mantua
Mantua, called Màntua in Mantuan dialect and Mantua in Latin, was once the capital of the Marchesato di Mantova and then of the Duchy of Mantua. The city is considered one of the main centers of the Italian and European Renaissance thanks to the legacy left by the Gonzaga family. In addition, it is represented among the fourteen noble cities of the Vittoriano.
A city with unique charm
Mantua is a very important Municipality from a cultural point of view. In 2016, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism declared Mantua the Italian Capital of Culture. In 2017, together with the provinces of Bergamo, Brescia, and Cremona, Mantua was awarded as the European Region of Gastronomy under the name of Eastern Lombardy. In 2019, the city was selected as the City of Sport. Mantua is the only city understood as a distributed urban museum present on the Google Arts & Culture platform, with more than 1,000 digitized works, 40 virtual exhibitions set up in 8 different virtual museums.
Physical geography of Mantua
Mantua is located in southeastern Lombardy, near Lake Garda and the Veneto and Emilia-Romagna regions. The nearest cities are Verona, Brescia, and Modena.
The Territory of Mantua
Mantua is surrounded by the Mincio River, which has been organized to completely surround the city with four bodies of water, creating the Lakes of Mantua: Superior, Middle, Inferior, and Paiolo. Over time, the city has been protected from floods thanks to the dam and the lock.
Curiosities about Mantua
Mantua was ranked first among the best Italian cities for the quality of the environment and life. The city is also famous for its rice, known as Risotto alla Mantovana. Let's not forget the Church of San Francesco, the Church of Sant'Andrea, the Cathedral of Mantua, the Ducal Palace of Mantua, the Castle of San Giorgio, the Palazzo Te, the Temple of San Sebastiano, and the Diocesan Museum Francesco Gonzaga. Furthermore, Mantua is one of the most fascinating places in Italy, with its ancient structure and its Renaissance-style architecture.
In conclusion, Mantua is one of the most representative Italian cities of culture and art in Italy and in the world. Thanks to its history and cultural importance, Mantua is a World Heritage Site that must be visited and appreciated.
