Mon 26 May: Mantua

We decided to tear ourselves away from chilling out at Lake Garda and visit the ancient city of Mantua, a drive of 30 miles across the flatlands of northern Italy. It’s surrounded by three lakes with a stunning skyline, best enjoyed as you walk across the causeway from the car park- as long as you ignore the ever-present cranes spoiling that illusion that you are stepping back into the Middle Ages.  

Maybe the old times weren’t so idyllic. When the Pope visited the city in 1459 he complained of heat, mud and mosquitos. Today the chemical works has topped that by lining the bed of the largest lake with mercury.  

The first building we arrive at is the castle of St George, built over 600 years ago, looking all romantic and fairy-tale. To retain that image I’m not showing the slimy green moat.

The castle is part of the Ducal Palace complex that was the biggest in Europe at one time, all 34,000 square metres of it. The average UK home today would be around 150-180 sq. metres, so it was that big. It was built by the powerful Gonzaga (wasn’t he a Muppet character?) family who ruled the town for 300 years from the 14^th century. Next is one of the palace facades in the piazza around the corner.

Moving on through the four interlinking squares that form the core of the old town, we come across an astronomical clock. Picturesque, but not very user friendly, i.e. you can’t seem to work out where the time is.

To the right of the clock tower, part of a round structure is just visible. It’s the oldest church in the city, the 11^th century round church similar to the one in Cambridge of which there is a picture inside! Round churches were apparently built that shape so that the Devil would have no corners to hide in.

The cathedral was a bit bare, so no pic, but not so St Andrew’s church. It’s a large church dating from 1472 and is covered in what appeared to be wall carvings.

An example close-up looks like this.

They are, in fact, 3-D paintings, brilliantly executed to give the effect of carved stonework.

However, the church’s main claim to fame, and the reason for its magnificence, is that it houses two vases containing the Sacred Blood, brought to Mantua by Roman soldier Longinus. The vases have attracted multitudes of pilgrims down the ages, these sorts of relics being a source of great wealth to churches and monasteries that held them. They aren’t on public display and are only brought out on Good Fridays.

Authentic or not? You pays your money and  you takes your choice, as they say.

These elegant columns next to the river allowed boats to tie up to fetch and carry cattle and fish to the market on the upper level located to the right. They needed plenty of water to gut the fish and slaughter the cattle. The turmoil and smell must have been horrendous.

We had good eats and coffee outside Rigoletto’s house at very reasonable prices. All the cafes and restaurants seemed good value, a big tick here from us compared to rip-off Florence for example, but we felt maybe the town wasn’t quite making the most of its tourist assets. It’s always a pleasure to visit this sort of atmospheric place and we had a great day out.