Palazzo Te

Formerly located on an island connected to the city of Mantua, Palazzo Te is one of the most extraordinary examples of a suburban Renaissance villa. The name derives from the toponym, already attested in medieval times, of a place to the south of the city, not far from the walls. The entire complex, built and decorated between 1525 and 1535, was designed and realised by Giulio Romano for Federico II Gonzaga as a place for idleness and sumptuous receptions. Giulio Romano conceived not only the spatial and architectural composition of the building, but also the splendid decorative cycles, friezes, fireplaces, ceilings and floors, taking care of every single detail and then entrusting the execution to a series of qualified collaborators. Originally, the palace was also painted externally, but the colours have disappeared and the paintings are only visible in the frescoes of the precious interior rooms. In addition to being adorned with frescoes, the walls were once adorned with curtains and gilded and silvered leather appliqués, while the doors were made of bronze and inlaid wood and the fireplaces, most of which are still present, were made of noble marble. The monumental rooms are all on the ground floor. True gems of mannerist art are in particular the Chamber of Cupid and Psyche and the Chamber of the Giants.

The rooms on the upper floor, originally storerooms and servants' quarters, display eclectic collections to the public, directly or indirectly linked to Mantua: the Gonzaga collection of cones, coins, seals, medals, weights and measures; the Mondadori collection with paintings by Federico Zandomeneghi and Armando Spadini and two valuable archaeological collections; the "Giuseppe Acerbi" Egyptian collection and the "Ugo Sissa" Mesopotamian collection.