Easily the equal of the Palazzo Vecchio in Firenze, but without the crowds. It will take you the better part of a full day to do this place justice. We spent 5 hours going through it, and still felt like we didn't give everything the attention it deserves. Besides the artwork, each room is a treasure in itself. The Castello San Giorgio section was still closed when we toured, damage from the earthquake still being repaired. Can't wait to visit again next year. Go early in the day, take a break for lunch at one of the nearby cafes in the square to recharge, and go back in for the 2nd half of your visit.
we did this last during our visit and are so pleased that we concentrated on the Palazzo Te - this was OK and reasonable at E6.50 : no discounts available to seniors
This is an absolute must see. The palace is huge in size. Amazing works of art paint on walls and ceilings. Is really a series of palaces which have been joined together over the centuries. Over 500 rooms.
So lucky to get a viewing of "camera Degli Sposi".......a palace room with fresco almost fully in tact. Unforgettable experienceThe artifact and history contained within this Palazzo are priceless and breath taking
In its heyday, Mantua's Palazzo Ducale, home to the reigning Gonzaga family, was the largest palace in Europe, housing over a thousand people within its 34,000 square meters. When the Hapsburgs pillaged the place, it took eight carriages to haul away the loot. What's left is still huge -- and hugely impressive. Damage sustained from a recent earthquake has been repaired, and once-closed rooms have been reopened. The palace's Castello San Giorgio houses its must-see attraction, Mantegna's stunningly lifelike portrait of the Gonzaga family in all their domestic splendor. The Gonzagas liked their horses and dogs as much as they did themselves, and equine and canine portraiture becomes something of a leif-motif as one wanders the seemingly infinite number of rooms. Especially worth lingering in are the Sala dei Arcieri, with its frieze of prized horses; the gleefully over-the-top Sala die Fiume, an enclosed loggia dominated by a pair of stucco-and-mosaic fountains; and the Stanzi deli Arazzi, with its magnificent Flemish tapestries. It's all quite spectacular and quite exhausting. Afterward, head straight for some chocolate gelato to restore your flagging energy.
Palazzo Ducale is under renovation/restoration. Like many of the historic buildings in Mantova, it was neglected for a long a time and many of the details and frescos decayed. There are rooms that have been beautifully restored and many of the other rooms are being used to showcase historical and modern art. Its well worth a trip. Be sure to get the tourist card - you'll save money on other attractions and receive discounts at several restaurants.
Not to be missed. A beautiful restoration by people who care about the history of this wonderful city.
The museum itself is not that big actually, But they make you a lot of detours in oder to show you more aspects of the exhibition as possible. Quite tiring in the end. While my favorite parts are the last few showrooms, from 25
This visift is a MUST : the structure is already incredible, with its medieval building in bricks and terracotta, but inside it hides real treasures. Decorated rooms (frescoes and tapestries), paintings, statues...You can learn a lot about the Dukes of Mantova, the Gonzaga, and the main artists of the period in this area.Only 43 rooms (on over 500) can be visited, also due to the heartquake that hit Mantova in 2012 : the famous painted bedroom of Mantegna is closed for works at present, like San Giorgio's castle.Please take your time to visit it, because the explanatory panels are really well made, in italian and english. Kids may get bored though... Audio-guides are also available in several languages. You can leave your bags in a key closed box, at the entry.You can take pictures with no flash.No restaurants / bar inside.In my opinion, if you are really passionate of art, visit it in several times : it takes a lot of energy to see it all in one time (with no break and no eating !).You can ask for the museums card : 5 or 8 entries to several museums in Mantova with real interesting reduction.
This museum is the top attraction in Mantua and has recently been restored after a major earthquake some years ago. It is a vast palazzo and the visit can be quite overwhelming as one goes from room to room.