The Ducal Palace in Mantua is one of the largest and most fascinating monumental complexes in Europe, a symbol of the power and sophistication of the city of the Gonzaga. Located between Piazza Sordello and the shores of Lake Inferiore, the palace covers over 34,000 square meters, with more than 500 rooms, 15 gardens, squares and courtyards. It is a “city within a city.”
For this Saturday only, May 17, 2025, on the occasion of Museum Night, the Palace can be visited at night until 10:15 p.m., with a “special” entrance fee of only 1 euro, on sale from 6:40 p.m.
Returning this year is the thematically accompanied tour “In Isabella’s Footsteps,” an hour-long visit to explore Isabella’s places. Scheduled departures are at 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm. Reservations are required via infopoint: tel. 0376 352100, Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
A bit of history
The Ducal Palace consists of several historical nuclei: Corte Vecchia, the Castle of San Giorgio, and the Corte Nuova.
The history of the Palace has its roots in the 13th century, when it was built by the Bonacolsi family. With the advent of the Gonzagas in 1328, the complex was gradually expanded and embellished, becoming the official residence of the dynasty that ruled Mantua until 1707. Each generation of the Gonzagas contributed new buildings and works of art.
Isabella d’Este is one of the most famous and influential figures associated with the Ducal Palace in Mantua. She married Francesco II Gonzaga in 1490 and, upon arriving in Mantua, initially lived in an apartment on the main floor of the Castello di San Giorgio, where she had the famous Studiolo and Grotta, spaces dedicated to art, study and contemplation, built.
After her husband’s death in 1519, Isabella moved to the Corte Vecchia.
Today the Ducal Palace is a state museum that preserves art masterpieces, including frescoes, Flemish tapestries, works by Rubens and Mantegna, and evidence of Renaissance court life.