Ducal Palace - Sabbioneta, Italy
The city of Sabbioneta, nearby Mantua in Northern Italy, was designed and built by the Duke Vespasiano Gonzaga Colonna (1531–1591).
Vespasiano wanted Sabbioneta to be a strategic town, so he hired the greatest architects, making his court the heart of the Renaissance.
In 2008, Sabbioneta was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a recognition of its perfect example of practical application of Renaissance urban planning theories.
UNESCO goes on to explain that Sabbioneta was the capital of one of the smallest states in Italy, created when Mantova was divided into several parts in 1478. These parts were still ruled by different branches of the Gonzaga family.
It has been known since Roman times as a locality along the Vitelliana road but, even though it has a long history, it can be considered a new foundation.
Sabbioneta is the creation of one man, the ruler of the little state Vespasiano Gonzaga Colonna. He had studied the writings and theories of ideal city planning but his aim was to build an impregnable fortress and functioning capital of the state with all moderne amenities such as a permanent theatre. It is believed that he himself designed the plan and the fortifications with the help of military expertise. The work began sometime between 1554 and 1556.
Sabbioneta is also known for its historic Jewish Ghetto and Synagogue, and in particular for its Hebrew printing-press.
Ducal Palace - Sabbioneta, Italy
The city of Sabbioneta, nearby Mantua in Northern Italy, was designed and built by the Duke Vespasiano Gonzaga Colonna (1531–1591).
Vespasiano wanted Sabbioneta to be a strategic town, so he hired the greatest architects, making his court the heart of the Renaissance.
In 2008, Sabbioneta was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a recognition of its perfect example of practical application of Renaissance urban planning theories.
UNESCO goes on to explain that Sabbioneta was the capital of one of the smallest states in Italy, created when Mantova was divided into several parts in 1478. These parts were still ruled by different branches of the Gonzaga family.
It has been known since Roman times as a locality along the Vitelliana road but, even though it has a long history, it can be considered a new foundation.
Sabbioneta is the creation of one man, the ruler of the little state Vespasiano Gonzaga Colonna. He had studied the writings and theories of ideal city planning but his aim was to build an impregnable fortress and functioning capital of the state with all moderne amenities such as a permanent theatre. It is believed that he himself designed the plan and the fortifications with the help of military expertise. The work began sometime between 1554 and 1556.
Sabbioneta is also known for its historic Jewish Ghetto and Synagogue, and in particular for its Hebrew printing-press.