Sabionetta

About

In the 16th century, Duke Vespasiano I set out to make Sabbioneta the “little Athens” of the Po Valley. The duke envisioned a balanced urban space dictated by the humanist ideas of the Renaissance. Rising from small fortifications to the ducal seat of power in mere 35 years, the city solidified its position as the cultural center of the region. Hidden behind hexagonal defensive walls, Sabbioneta still preserves intact most of its 16th century structures. Teatro all’Antica, one of the first theaters to have a separate building designated for the sole purpose of hosting performances, is a definite must-see. Modest on the outside, the theater stuns entering visitors with its impressive colonnade and reconstructed stage design. Other notable sites include Palazzo del Giardino and its beautiful frescoes, 97-meter long Galleria degli Antichi, Palazzo Ducale with equestrian statues of the Gonzagas, and the Jewish quarter.