Tipologia
Citta
Indirizzo
Certainly one of the finest squares in the Mantua area, this is where the old castle, built in the 11C, once stood. It was then extensively altered by Prince Orazio Gonzaga in the 16C, who converted it to his residence.
The square is reached by passing beneath an arch (once surmounted by a tower and drawbridge). Rectangular in form and still partly surrounded by battlemented walls, the square is screened on the right by a row of houses while, on the left, a low wall affords a view across the broad panorama (fog permitting) across Lake Garda.
The remains of the old castle, which have survived the centuries and most crucially the battles of 1796 and 1859, are the watchtower, a venue for numerous exhibitions in summer, with its characteristic oriental-style pointed dome; and the extensively altered church of San Nicola, in the centre of the square. A traditional open-air concert is held in the square every year as part of the events to commemorate the battle.