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ERASMUS+ KA2Searching for the Labours of Hercules

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Italy – Mantua

MANTUAMantua (Mantova in Italian) is a city in the Northern part of Italy on the Mincio river, not far from Lake Garda. It has been selected as Italian Capital of Culture 2016 and it has been listed as UNESCO World Heritage site since 2008.

WHAT YOU CAN SEEIn Mantua you can breathe history everywhere, it has plenty of cultural monuments and churches such as two palaces, Palazzo Tè and Palazzo Ducale and the cathedral Basilica di S. Andrea.

Palazzo Tè was built in the fifteenth century as a stable for the renowned horses of the Gonzaga family who ruled Mantua from the 14th to the 18th century. Italian architect Giulio Romano later turned it into a palace intended for court ceremonies and pleasure for the will of Federico II Gonzaga. The rooms “Chamber of Psyche”, “Chamber of the Giants” and “Hall pf the Horses” contain the most

beautiful frescos of the palace and they represent a great example of the Italian art of that time.Palazzo Ducale was the official residence of the Gonzaga family. It includes several apartments and buildings and St. George’s Castle, decorated with frescos by the Italian painter Andrea Mantegna. In the “Bridal Chamber” you can see a portrait of the Gonzaga family.

TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICE

www. turismo . mantova .it

Piazza Mantegna, 646100 MantovaTel. +39 0376 432432 e.mail: info@turismo.mantova.it

CURIOSITIESVirgil, the Latin poet of the Augustan Age who wrote the epic Aeneid was born in Mantua. Mantua gave birth to Publio Virgilio Marone, one of the most important Latin poets; also some famous Italian artists spent part of their lives here, like Andrea Mantegna, Leon Battista Alberti and Giulio Romano and they contributed to create the artistic heritage of the city.Moreover every year in September Mantua hosts the literature festival where you can meet some famous authors and buy books without spending too much money and there you can find also a vintage market with very particular clothes and objects from the past.

TYPICAL FOODMantua is famous for two traditional food specialties: Sbrisolona and Tortellini. The Sbrisolona, is an almond cake. Tortellini are a kind of pasta stuffed with meat, vegetables or pumkin and cheese. You must taste them!