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111-689: Fighting centred on the fortress of Casale Monferrato , which the Spanish besieged twice, from March 1628 to April 1629 and from September 1629 to October 1630. French intervention on behalf of Nevers in April 1629 led Emperor Ferdinand II to support Spain by transferring Imperial troops from Northern Germany , who captured Mantua in July 1630. However, French reinforcements enabled Nevers to retain Casale, while Ferdinand withdrew his troops in response to Swedish intervention in

222-423: A coup d'état on the last Bonacolsi ruler, Rinaldo. Ludovico Gonzaga, who had been Podestà of Mantua since 1318, was duly elected Capitano del popolo . The Gonzagas built new walls with five gates and renovated the city in the 14th century; however, the political situation did not settle until the third ruler of Gonzaga, Ludovico III Gonzaga , who eliminated his relatives and centralised power to himself. During

333-542: A Roman municipium . By the beginning of the 8th century, there was a small town under Lombard rule, probably called Sedula or Sedulia. It was here (according to late and unreliable accounts) that one Saint Evasius , along with 146 followers, was decapitated on the orders of the Arian Duke Attabulo. Liutprand, King of the Lombards is said to have supported the construction of a church in honour of Evasius. Certainly,

444-760: A best-selling historical yarn Bellarion the Fortunate by the Anglo-Italian writer Rafael Sabatini . A real 13th-century personality, Ubertino of Casale , is a character in Eco's historical novel The Name of the Rose (1980). The town features in the popular French 1960s TV serial The Flashing Blade . [REDACTED] Media related to Casale Monferrato at Wikimedia Commons Mantua Mantua ( / ˈ m æ n tj u ə / MAN -tew-ə ; Italian : Mantova [ˈmantova] ; Lombard and Latin : Mantua )

555-537: A combined Savoyard-Spanish force at Avigliana . Both sides were badly affected by an outbreak of bubonic plague , allegedly brought from Germany by French and Imperial soldiers. The "worst mortality crisis to affect Italy during the early modern period ", approximately 35% of the population of Northern Italy died between 1629 and 1631. The increasing brutality of the war led to a number of massacres, most notably at Ostiglia in April 1630, when local bandits, or "Formigotti", cut off an Imperial foraging party and assaulted

666-544: A compromise suggested by his wife Empress Eleonora , sister of the recently deceased duke Vincenzo II. This solution appeared acceptable, especially as French chief minister Cardinal Richelieu viewed Nevers as a Habsburg client and was fully occupied with the Siege of La Rochelle . However, it was undermined by the combined ambition of Córdoba and Charles Emmanuel, who from 1613 to 1617 had fought for possession of Montferrat. Shortly before Vincenzo's death, they agreed to partition

777-441: A defensive water ring around the city, dried up at the end of the 18th century. The area and its environs are important not only in naturalistic terms, but also anthropologically and historically; research has highlighted a number of human settlements scattered between Barche di Solferino and Bande di Cavriana , Castellaro and Isolone del Mincio. These dated, without interruption, from Neolithic times (5th–4th millennium BC) to

888-581: A hand in the refurbishment of the building. Running west from Piazza Mazzini to Piazza Castello is Via Saffi, which contains one of the town's most recognizable landmarks: the Torre Civica. This brick tower, square in plan and 60 metres high, dates from the 11th century but suffered severe fire damage in April 1504 when a festival to celebrate the peace between Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian I and King Louis XII of France got out of hand. The reconstruction, completed six years later by Matteo Sammicheli, produced

999-582: A population of only 300,000. In addition to support from Empress Eleonora, Venice and the Pope, Nevers was also backed by Ferdinand's military commander Wallenstein, who wanted his army to focus on capturing Stralsund in Northern Germany. These factors ultimately delayed any Imperial intervention until September 1629. Led by Charles Emmanuel, Savoyard forces captured Trino in April, then Nizza Monferrato in June, but

1110-504: A senator, with his knees uncovered. The statue was commissioned by the municipal authorities as a mark of gratitude to the king for having selected Casale as the seat of Piedmont's second Court of Appeal and to celebrate the construction of Casale's first permanent bridge across the Po. Locally the square is called Piazza Cavallo ( wiktionary:cavallo being the Italian word for "horse"). A little to

1221-587: A speciality of Casale since their legendary invention in 1870 by one Domenico Rossi after an evening spent with friends in Piazza Mazzini's Caffè della Concordia (now a bank). Also in Via Lanza is the 17th-century church of San Giuseppe, probably designed by Sebastiano Guala ; a painting attributed to the Ursuline nun Lucrina Fetti (c.1614–1651, brother of Domenico ) shows Christ venerated by Sant’Evasio and includes

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1332-441: A taller structure which included the current bell chamber. The balconies attached to the upper part of the tower were added during the period of Gonzaga rule. Subsequent restorations were carried out in 1779 (after a lightning strike which destroyed the 15th-century clock) and again in 1920. Adjoining the tower is the church of Santo Stefano which stands on the east side of a small square named after it. The church's origins date to

1443-400: A tribune and closed by round arches. The interior houses the relics of Saint Evasius and, near the presbytery , fragments of 11th-century pavement mosaics with Biblical scenes (now remounted on the walls of the corridor from the apse to the sacristy). In 1471, after William VIII, Marquess of Montferrat had chosen Casale as the permanent location of the marquisate court, construction began of

1554-503: A very accurate depiction of contemporary Casale with its civic tower. The church and convent of San Francesco, which housed the remains of many of the Marquises of Monferrato, was turned to other uses during the 18th century and demolished in the nineteenth. The high open tower which is a landmark of Via Lanza belongs to Palazzo Morelli di Popolo; it has been attributed to Bernardo Vittone , and also to Magnocavalli—both are believed to have had

1665-444: Is Bistolfi's war memorial of 1928 (pictured left). A marble exedra with four caryatids in the form of winged victories is raised on a dias fronted with steps. The bronze sculpture Il Fante Crociato , a foot soldier in crusader-period costume, takes centre stage; a second bronze a lightly robed Primavera Italica (Italic Spring) steps down from the platform and out of the ensemble. Other public sculptures of note in Casale include

1776-530: Is a comune (municipality) in the Italian region of Lombardy , and capital of the province of the same name . In 2016, Mantua was designated as the "Italian Capital of Culture". In 2017, it was named as the "European Capital of Gastronomy", included in the Eastern Lombardy District (together with the cities of Bergamo , Brescia , and Cremona ). In 2008, Mantua's centro storico (old town) and

1887-429: Is also well known for being the district of refrigeration, one of the main of Italy. Since the early 1900s Casale has been known for cement production; Buzzi Unicem , one of the largest cement producers in the world, is headquartered in the town. After WW2 Casale become also an important manufacturing centre for the production of refrigerators , with the first company called Franger Frigor s.r.l. being established in

1998-548: Is inside a building at Vicolo Olper 44 that offers no hint from its nondescript exterior that it is a synagogue , built in 1595, and recognized as one of the most beautiful in Europe. The women's galleries now host an important Jewish museum. Of particular interest are the Tablets of the Law in gilded wood, dating from the 18th century, numerous rimonim ( Torah finials ) and atarot (crowns for

2109-460: Is marked by an elliptical cupola , and a façade curvilinear both in plan and elevation. The theatre, which stands at the north-eastern corner of the piazza at the end of Via Saffi, opened in 1791 with a performance of the La moglie capricciosa , an opera buffa by Vincenzo Fabrizi . Its construction, to a design by Abbot Agostino Vitoli of Spoleto , had taken six years. However, it fell into disuse during

2220-581: Is nonetheless outstanding, with many of Mantua's patrician and ecclesiastical buildings being uniquely important examples of Italian architecture. By car, Mantova can be reached on the A4 (Milan-Venice) Highway up to Verona, then the A22 ( Brennero - Modena ) Highway. Alternatively, the city can be reached from Milan on the State Road 415 (Milan-Cremona) to Cremona and from there State Road 10 (Cremona-Mantova), or from Verona on

2331-459: Is noted for its significant role in the history of opera ; the city is also known for its architectural treasures and artifacts, elegant palaces, and the medieval and Renaissance cityscape. It is the city where the composer Monteverdi premiered his 1607 opera L'Orfeo and to where Romeo was banished in Shakespeare 's 1597 play Romeo and Juliet . It is the nearest town to the birthplace of

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2442-539: Is south of Verona , east of Cremona , north-east of Parma , northwest of Ferrara , and west-southwest of Padua . Mantua was an island settlement which was first established about the year 2000 BC on the banks of River Mincio , which flows from Lake Garda to the Adriatic Sea . In the 6th century BC, Mantua was an Etruscan village which, in the Etruscan tradition, was re-founded by Ocnus . The name may derive from

2553-612: The Austrians in 1849 and was strengthened in 1852. The vast limestone deposits in the hills nearby caused, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several concrete factories to open up in the town. Casale became known as the "cement capital of Italy". Lo Spettatore del Monferrato (‘The Monferrato Spectator’) was a regionally focused periodical published weekly from 1852 to 1855 in Casale Monferrato, north-west Italy , and printed by Tipografia Corrado. From 1907 to 1986, Casale

2664-561: The Bronze Age (2nd–1st millennium BC) and the Gallic phases (2nd–1st centuries BC), and ended with Roman residential settlements, which can be traced to the 3rd century AD. In 2017, Legambiente ranked Mantua as the best Italian city for quality of life and environment. Mantua lies in the east of the region of Lombardy , halfway between Milan and Venice , on the River Mincio . It

2775-687: The Frankish Empire . Partitions of the empire (due to the Franks' use of partible inheritance ) in the Treaties of Verdun and Prüm led to Mantua passing to Middle Francia in 843, then the Kingdom of Italy in 855. In 962 Italy was invaded by King Otto I of Germany , and Mantua thus became a vassal of the newly formed Holy Roman Empire . In the 11th century, Mantua became a possession of Boniface of Canossa , marquis of Tuscany . The last ruler of that family

2886-685: The Ghibellines , Pinamonte Bonacolsi took advantage of the chaotic situation to seize power of the podesteria in 1273. He was declared the Captain General of the People . The Bonacolsi family ruled Mantua for the next two generations and made it more prosperous and artistically beautiful. On 16 August 1328 Luigi Gonzaga, an official in Bonacolsi's podesteria, and his family staged a public revolt in Mantua and forced

2997-567: The Gonzaga-Nevers , a cadet French branch of the family. The War of the Mantuan Succession broke out, and in 1630 an Imperial army of 36,000 mercenaries under Matthias Gallas and Johann von Aldringen besieged and sacked Mantua, bringing the plague with them. Ferdinand Carlo IV , an inept ruler, whose only interest was in holding parties and theatrical shows, allied with France in the War of

3108-977: The Holy Roman Emperor a measure of control over the succession. Notwithstanding these issues, the strongest contender was Charles Gonzaga, Duke of Nevers , cousin of Vincenzo II and a French peer. Legalities were less important than the perceived threat to Spanish interests if the Duchies fell under French influence and Córdoba , governor of Spanish Lombardy, began discussions with Madrid on potential military action to prevent this. Alternatives included Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy , whose claim extended primarily to Montferrat, and Ferrante II Gonzaga, Duke of Guastalla , another distant Gonzaga cousin and Imperial General Commissar in Italy. To cement his position, Charles of Nevers arranged for his son Charles II Gonzaga to marry Vincenzo's niece Maria Gonzaga , heiress of Montferrat;

3219-494: The Papal States . In February 1627, Vincenzo II , last Gonzaga male in the direct line, became Duke of Mantua and Montferrat, and conscious of his poor health, tried to resolve the succession internally. The legal position was complicated since Montferrat allowed female inheritance while Mantua did not; in addition, while the duchies had effectively been ruled as independent states, technically their status as Imperial fiefs gave

3330-557: The Torah scrolls ) carved and with silver filigree . The public gardens which front the railway station extend westwards, dissected by various streets, almost to the southern end of Via Roma. They contain a range of monuments to figures of local and national renown including Giovanni Lanza (sculpted by Odoardo Tabacchi , 1887), Giuseppe Antonio Ottavi ( Leonardo Bistolfi , 1890), Filippo Mellana (Giacomo Ginotti, 1887), and Giuseppe Garibaldi (Primo Giudici, 1884). The most important, however,

3441-961: The Treaty of Bärwalde , allowing the Swedes to establish themselves in the Empire, where they would remain until 1648. It was followed in May by the Treaty of Fontainebleau , an eight-year pact of mutual assistance between France and Maximilian of Bavaria. The need to transfer Imperial troops from Italy to face the Swedish threat forced Ferdinand to sign the Treaty of Cherasco with France on 19 June 1631, which confirmed Nevers as Duke of Mantua and Montferrat, in return for minor concessions to Savoy. Although both sides agreed to withdraw their armies, Nevers and Victor Amadeus allowed French garrisons to remain in Casale and Pinerolo, which meant despite

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3552-544: The Turks . Under Ludovico and his heirs, the famous Renaissance painter Andrea Mantegna worked in Mantua as court painter, producing some of his most outstanding works. The first Duke of Mantua was Federico II Gonzaga , who acquired the title from the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in 1530. Federico commissioned Giulio Romano to build the famous Palazzo Te , on the periphery of the city, and profoundly improved

3663-462: The 16th-century church of Sant'Ilario, founded in 380 in honour of Hilary of Poitiers . It was completely rebuilt in 1566 and was largely restructured towards the end of the 19th century. The church's polychrome façade is of interest and it contains two important works by Niccolò Musso : the Madonna del Carmine (‘ Our Lady of Mount Carmel ’) and San Francesco ai piedi del Crocefisso (‘ Saint Francis at

3774-544: The 1913–14 season it won the Italian Championship. The team dropped out of Serie A in 1934, however, and since the 2006–7 season, it has been playing in Serie D/A . During the 1970s, an annual under-21 football tournament took place in Casale Monferrato. It was named the "Caligaris" International Tournament, after Umberto Caligaris . The local basketball team, A.S. Junior Libertas Pallacanestro Casale Monferrato ,

3885-625: The Austrian Duchy of Mantua briefly united with the Duchy of Milan until 1791. On 4 June 1796 during the War of the First Coalition , Mantua was besieged by Napoleon Bonaparte 's French army. The first Austrian attempt to break the siege was successful and the siege was abandoned on 1 August. The Austrian army was defeated at the Battle of Castiglione on 5 August and left the area. The French resumed

3996-488: The Empire, ending French backing for both the Swedes and the Dutch. The offer coincided with Louis falling seriously ill and a concerted attack on Richelieu by his internal enemies, effectively paralysing the government. Unable to get a response to requests for further instructions, on 13 October Father Joseph reluctantly signed the Treaty of Ratisbonne. Such an agreement compromised the entire basis of French foreign policy, which

4107-521: The Etruscan god Mantus . After being conquered by the Cenomani , a Gallic tribe, Mantua was subsequently fought between the first and second Punic wars against the Romans , who attributed its name to Manto , a daughter of Tiresias . This territory was later populated by veteran soldiers of Augustus . Mantua's most famous ancient citizen is the poet Virgil , or Publius Vergilius Maro ( Mantua me genuit ), who

4218-625: The Habsburgs; lacking his own army, Ferdinand relied on support from his often reluctant German allies , or expensive mercenar ies like Albrecht von Wallenstein . While the huge resources of the Spanish Empire meant they were better able to replace their losses, funding an offensive in Italy required suspending operations in Flanders. By forcing the Habsburgs onto the defensive in Germany, the conflict over

4329-661: The Italian Renaissance, the Gonzaga family softened their despotic rule and further raised the level of culture and refinement in Mantua. Mantua became a significant center of Renaissance art and humanism. Marquis Gianfrancesco Gonzaga had brought Vittorino da Feltre to Mantua in 1423 to open his famous humanist school, the Casa Giocosa. Isabella d'Este , Marchioness of Mantua, married Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua in 1490. When she moved to Mantua from Ferrara (she

4440-781: The Kingdom of Venetia (including the capital city, Venice ). Mantua reconnected with the region of Lombardy and was incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy . During World War II , in November 1943, Nazi Germany relocated the Stalag 337 prisoner-of-war camp from Leśna in German-occupied Poland to Mantua. The camp was dissolved in February 1944, and in April 1944 the Dulag 339 transit camp for British, Italian, American, French, Greek and Yugoslav POWs

4551-548: The Mantuan exile Ramboldo, Count of Collalto . Hoping to overwhelm Casale and prevent interference by Charles Emmanuel, Spinola sought to expand his existing force of 16,000 with another 12,000 mercenaries and 6,000 reinforcements from Naples. He also invoked treaties with Tuscany and Parma to supply 4,000 and 2,000 men respectively but despite its size, his army contained many poor quality troops. Although Ferdinando II undertook to provide 6,000 men for two years along with use of

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4662-566: The Mantuan succession had a disproportionate impact on the Thirty Years' War . In giving their approval, both Olivares and Philip assumed Casale would be quickly taken but Córdoba took several months to mobilise 12,000 troops for operations in Montferrat, along with 8,000 supplied by Savoy. They joined 11,000 troops already assembled in the Duchy of Milan, while another 6,000 soldiers were used to screen

4773-544: The Mantuan territories', Spain now recognised Guastalla as Duke of Mantua. Nevers raised another 6,600 men by mortgaging his French estates, most of whom were ambushed and destroyed by Charles Emmanuel while crossing the Alps . The surrender of La Rochelle in October 1628 allowed France to intervene directly and in March 1629, an army led by Louis XIII of France stormed barricades blocking

4884-690: The Pas de Suse. By the end of the month, they had lifted the siege of Casale and taken the strategic Savoyard fortress of Pinerolo . In April, France, England and Savoy signed the Treaty of Susa , facilitated by Cardinal Mazarin , the papal Nuncio . It consisted of two separate agreements, the first ending the Anglo-French War (1627–1629) , the second making peace between France and Savoy. In return for Trino, Charles Emmanuel allowed French troops to garrison Casale and Pinerolo, as well as providing free passage across his territory to reinforce Mantua. Louis XIII and

4995-685: The Roman classical poet Virgil , who is commemorated by a statue at the lakeside park "Piazza Virgiliana". Mantua is surrounded on three sides by artificial lakes , created during the 12th century as the city's defence system. These lakes receive water from the River Mincio , a tributary of the River Po , which descends from Lake Garda . The three lakes are called Lago Superiore , Lago di Mezzo , and Lago Inferiore ("Upper", "Middle", and "Lower" Lakes, respectively). A fourth lake, Lake Pajolo, which once served as

5106-888: The Spanish Succession . After the French defeat, he took refuge in Venice and carried with him a thousand pictures. At his death in 1708, the Duke of Mantua was declared deposed and his family of Gonzaga lost Mantua forever in favour of the Habsburgs of Austria. Under Austrian rule, Mantua enjoyed a revival and during this period the Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts, the Scientific Theatre, and numerous palaces were built. In 1786, ten years before Napoleon Bonaparte 's campaign of Europe,

5217-427: The Spanish and Austrian Habsburgs did not necessarily share the same objectives. While Spain was always seeking to strengthen its position in northern Italy, Ferdinand wanted to avoid diverting resources from Germany, as well as to assert Imperial authority by deciding the succession question himself. He agreed to confirm Nevers as duke in return for the newly built fortress of Casale Monferrato , capital of Montferrat,

5328-426: The Spanish finally withdrew and the two sides agreed a truce, negotiated by the papal representative Mazarin. In June 1630, Richelieu dispatched his close aide Father Joseph and Nicolas Brûlart to open peace talks with Ferdinand at Regensburg , where he was attending a meeting of the Imperial Diet . At the same time, Gustavus Adolphus landed in Pomerania with 18,000 troops, beginning the Swedish intervention in

5439-489: The Spanish were unable to pay or support so many men and large numbers were lost to desertion and disease. Charles Emmanuel switched sides again and in December joined Spinola at Casale with 6,500 men, leaving 12,500 to guard Piedmont and another 6,000 in Savoy, while Tuscany, Parma and other Spanish allies provided additional recruits and money. A French army of 18,000 under Henri II de Montmorency overran Savoy, before invading Piedmont in February 1630; on 10 July, he defeated

5550-407: The Spanish-governed Duchy of Milan . Control of this region allowed the Habsburg rulers of Spain and Austria to threaten France's restive southern provinces of Languedoc and the Dauphiné , as well as protecting the overland supply route known as the Spanish Road . Spanish possessions in Lombardy and the Kingdom of Naples were a key source of recruits and supplies for their military and formed

5661-487: The State Road 62. Mantova railway station , opened in 1873, lies on the train routes of Milan - Codogno - Cremona -Mantua and Verona -Mantua- Modena . The station is a terminus for three regional lines, to Cremona and Milan , to Monselice , and to Verona Porta Nuova and Modena . Trenitalia operates a daily high-speed connection with Rome . The closest airport is Verona-Villafranca Airport. The direct shuttle bus service running to and from Mantova railway station

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5772-414: The Swedes to establish themselves within the Holy Roman Empire and was one reason that the Thirty Years' War continued until 1648. Since 1308, the Duchy of Mantua had been ruled by the House of Gonzaga , who also acquired the Duchy of Montferrat in 1574 by marriage. Both territories were part of the Holy Roman Empire and were also of strategic importance to the area known as Lombardy , dominated by

5883-448: The Thirty Years' War , and both sides agreed a truce in October 1630. The June 1631 Treaty of Cherasco confirmed Nevers as Duke of Mantua and Montferrat in return for minor territorial losses. More importantly, the treaty left France in possession of Pinerolo and Casale, key fortresses that controlled access to passes through the Alps and protected its southern borders. The diversion of Imperial and Spanish resources from Germany allowed

5994-507: The Thirty Years' War . Father Joseph also had secret instructions to seek an alliance with Ferdinand's main Catholic supporter, Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria . However, the loss of Mantua on 18 July appeared to jeopardise the French position in Italy, while Maximilian had no interest in an alliance. Seeing an opportunity, Ferdinand offered to confirm Nevers as Duke of Mantua, in return for France agreeing to cede Casale and Pinerolo to Spain, and withdraw support for Ferdinand's opponents within

6105-479: The Turin Appeal Court in 2012, the Italian Supreme Court in 2014 declared that the statute of limitations had expired in the case. The historic centre of the town is itself centred on Piazza Mazzini, the site of the Roman forum . Named for Giuseppe Mazzini , a key republican figure of the Risorgimento , it is dominated by an 1843 equestrian statue by Abbondio Sangiorgio of King Charles Albert of Piedmont-Sardinia , dressed in Roman costume , specifically as

6216-556: The Tuscan navy, he ultimately avoided doing so. The siege of Casale and its French garrison of 2,500 resumed in June; in late October, Collalto dispersed a Venetian force of 7,000 before moving onto Mantua, held by a garrison of 4,000. Neither siege made much progress; Mantua was protected by two artificial lakes which made it difficult to position siege artillery and Collalto withdrew after an unsuccessful assault in late November. As Collalto fell ill, he left command to his deputies Gallas and Aldringen . Casale continued to hold out, while

6327-424: The basis of "Spanish power in Europe throughout the 17th century". In recent decades, their position had been strengthened by the acquisition of Finale , and control over the independent Principalities of Piombino and Monaco , as well as fortresses in Modena and Mirandola . However, this expansion was viewed with increasing concern by their regional rivals, the Republic of Venice and Pope Urban VIII , ruler of

6438-409: The beginning of the second millennium, but it was largely rebuilt in the mid-17th century under a project attributed to Sebastiano Guala ; work on the current façade began in 1787 but was not completed until the late 19th century. Inside are paintings by Giovanni Francesco Caroto (1480–1555), Il Moncalvo (1568–1625), Giorgio Alberini (1575/6 – 1625/6), and Francesco Cairo (1607–1665). Adorning both

6549-409: The bulk of the French army then returned to Languedoc to suppress the latest in a series of Huguenot rebellions . Philip was determined to reverse the Susa treaty and replaced Córdoba with Spinola , a native of Genoa and former commander in the Spanish Netherlands . Nevers unwisely led 2,500 troops in an attack on Spanish-held Cremona , which his Venetian allies refused to support. Combined with

6660-487: The ceremony was performed on 23 December 1627, three days before Vincenzo died. Nevers arrived in Mantua on 17 January and sent an envoy to Emperor Ferdinand II requesting Imperial recognition. Historian Peter H. Wilson argues "none of the major powers ... was looking for a fight in Italy" and conflict was caused by a combination of events, including miscommunication between Córdoba and Madrid, as well as Nevers' refusal to compromise. Despite their family connections,

6771-441: The church of San Domenico, to the north of Piazza Mazzini. Work on the building ceased for some time, as a result of political instability; in the early 16th century a fine, if slightly incongruous, Renaissance portal was imposed on the late Gothic façade. Via Lanza, which runs northwards from the north-west corner of Piazza Mazzini, is known for the Krumiri Rossi bakery , which indeed produces Krumiri : biscuits which have been

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6882-443: The city against Austrian troops who had just taken part in the defeat of the Piedmontese army. In the Priocco district, to the south of the historic centre, in Viale Ottavio Marchino, there is a monument by Virgilio Audagna to the cement industrialist Ottavio Marchino, son of the founder of Cementi Marchino, which is now part of Buzzi Unicem . The historic centre is marked by many palazzi which are often Baroque in appearance (though

6993-406: The city. In the late 16th century, Claudio Monteverdi came to Mantua from his native Cremona. He worked for the court of Vincenzo I Gonzaga , first as a singer and violist, then as music director, marrying the court singer Claudia Cattaneo in 1599. In 1627, the direct line of the Gonzaga family came to an end with the vicious and weak Vincenzo II , and Mantua slowly declined under the new rulers,

7104-413: The course of River Mincio, creating what the Mantuans call "the four lakes" to reinforce the city's natural protection. Three of these lakes still remain today and the fourth one, which ran through the centre of town, was reclaimed during the 18th century. From 1215, the city was ruled under the podesteria of the Guelph poet-statesman Rambertino Buvalelli . During the struggle between the Guelphs and

7215-412: The defeat of the Piedmontese army at the Battle of Bassignano during the War of the Austrian Succession , Casale was occupied by the victorious French and Spanish troops. Much damage was caused to the city's buildings. The subsequent renovation and rebuilding in the Baroque style made a substantial contribution to the urban texture. During the Wars of Italian Independence , it successfully resisted

7326-632: The duchy, most of it going to Savoy while Spain took Casale, a deal approved by Philip IV of Spain and his chief minister Olivares . On 26 January, Ferdinand ordered Córdoba not to send troops into Mantua or Montferrat and on 1 April confiscated both territories pending a final decision on the succession. By then, it was too late to stop the fighting. Since even large states like France struggled to fight simultaneously in multiple theatres, 17th century diplomacy focused on opening new fronts by building alliances against opponents, or freeing resources by ending an existing conflict. The same principle applied to

7437-441: The east of the square is the Lombard Romanesque cathedral of Sant'Evasio , founded in 742, rebuilt in the early 12th century and consecrated on 7 January 1107 by Pope Paschal II . It occupies a site where once was a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter . It underwent restoration in 1706 and again in the 19th century. The cathedral has an asymmetric façade, including a complex narthex with two galleries ( matronaei ) connected by

7548-402: The expenditure of 10 million escudos and thousands of men, Spain gained nothing from the conflict. The war proved a major foreign policy success for Richelieu by strengthening the French position in Northern Italy, disrupting the Spanish Road and permanently souring relationships between Spain and Austria. Of even greater long term significance was the split it created between the Habsburgs and

7659-400: The following years: Industra Apparecchiature Refrigerate IAR, PastorFrigor, GeneralFilter, Unifrigor, IARP. "Dena" is another company working on refrigeration filters and capillary tubes. Around 13 manufacturing companies work now in this field. Most of the production in Casale is about Vending machines, Bottle Coolers, Vertical and Horizontal Cabinet, Refrigerated trucks. In this field, many are

7770-406: The foot of the Crucifix ’) originally from the church of San Francesco. Behind the shops on the west side of Via Roma, which runs southwards from Piazza Mazzini, lay the ghetto which persisted until the emancipation of the Jews in Piedmont following Charles Albert's concession of a constitution, the Statuto Albertino , under the revolutionary pressures of 1848. The Synagogue of Casale Monferrato

7881-424: The insurrection in the County of Tyrol against Napoleon. After the brief period of French rule, Mantua returned to Austria in 1814, becoming one of the Quadrilatero fortress cities in northern Italy. Under the Congress of Vienna (1815) , Mantua became a province in the Austrian Empire's Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia . Agitation against Austria, however, culminated in a revolt which lasted from 1851 to 1855, but it

7992-477: The late nineteenth/early 20th century when the remaining ravelins were removed. The castle itself is an imposing 15th-century military construction, with a hexagonal plan, four round towers and an encircling moat. At the southeast corner of the piazza is the elegant Baroque church of Santa Maria delle Grazie , better known by its earlier designation of Santa Caterina . A masterwork of Giovanni Battista Scapitta , completed after his death by Giacomo Zanetti , it

8103-528: The lime produced in the Monferrato area was well known by designers and architects). Since the XIX century Casale Monferrato became the Italian capital for binders production: Lime Putty, Hydraulic Lime and Cement. Indeed, the city had the merit of being the first Italian city to develop industrial cement production, thanks to the richness and quality of the Monferrato marl suitable, without the addition of correctives, for

8214-574: The manufacture of natural cement. Among the many testimonies present in the city and symbols of the history of cement production in Casale Monferrato are the Paraboloide and the Furnasetta. Casale Monferrato is twinned with: The town's football club, A.S. Casale Calcio , was founded in 1909. Within five years it achieved the twin peaks of its success: in 1913 it became the first Italian club to beat an English professional team ( Reading F.C. ), and in

8325-447: The martyr's cult flourished, and by 988 AD, the town had become known as Casale di Sant’Evasio . At the time of Charlemagne , the town came under the temporal and religious power of the bishops of Vercelli , from which it was freed by Frederick Barbarossa , Holy Roman Emperor and King of Italy . It was sacked by the anti-imperial troops of Vercelli , Alessandria and Milan in 1215, but rebuilt and fortified in 1220. It fell under

8436-613: The monument to King Charles Albert in Piazza Mazzini mentioned above, Bistolfi's 1887 monument to Urbano Rattazzi in Piazza Rattazzi, Benedetto Cacciatori's Luigi Canina in Piazza Santo Stefano. The Monumento alla difesa di Casale ( Francesco Porzio , 1897; pictured right), situated to the north of the castle, commemorates the vigorous action which took place during the First Italian War of Independence in 1849 to defend

8547-467: The nearby comune of Sabbioneta were declared by UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site . Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family between 1328 and 1708 made it one of the main artistic, cultural , and especially musical hubs of Northern Italy and of Italy as a whole. It had one of the most splendid courts of Europe of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and early seventeenth centuries. Mantua

8658-462: The nearby garrison in Ostiglia. After its defeat, Imperial troops retaliated by attacking the civilian population, with contemporary sources estimating the number killed as around 600, including women and children. When the siege of Mantua resumed in May 1630, its defenders had been reduced by disease to under 2,000, while a hastily assembled and poorly equipped relief force of 17,500 Venetian auxiliaries

8769-497: The papacy, making it acceptable for France to employ Protestant allies against fellow Catholics. Casale Monferrato Casale Monferrato ( Italian pronunciation: [kaˈzaːle moɱferˈraːto] ) is a town in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy , in the province of Alessandria . It is situated about 60 km (37 mi) east of Turin on the right bank of the Po , where

8880-469: The period of Napoleonic rule and remained closed for several decades. After extensive internal embellishment, the theatre reopened in 1840 with a performance of Vincenzo Bellini 's Beatrice di Tenda . In 1861 the theatre was sold by the Società dei Nobili to the local authority (the comune ) which made it more accessible to the general public. Nevertheless, it fell again into decline; during World War II it

8991-553: The period. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Casale was the site for premieres of operas by Giulio Cesare Monteverdi , Pietro Guglielmi , and Pasquale Anfossi , and was the birthplace of the Swiss-Italian composer Carlo Evasio Soliva . Currently, the city's musical centre is the Teatro Municipale. Casale is situated in a plain where rice cultivation is predominant and in an area of cement-bearing hills and wineries . Casale

9102-530: The power of the Marquess of Montferrat in 1292, (although it was conquered by the Visconti of Milan in 1370, it remained under their control until 1404 ) and later became the capital of the marquessate. The condottiere Facino Cane was born in Casale Monferrato and he participated, financed by the Duke of Milan Gian Galeazzo Visconti , in the Battle of Casalecchio in 1402, but Theodore II, Marquess of Montferrat ,

9213-454: The production of asbestos cement . A local Eternit factory has been at the centre of a massive environmental scandal, with subsequent high-profile litigation that often made international headlines. The origins of the town are fairly obscure. It is known that the Gaulish settlement of Vardacate (from var = "water"; ate = "populated place") existed on the Po in this area, and that it became

9324-573: The river runs at the foot of the Montferrat hills. Beyond the river lies the vast plain of the Po valley. An ancient Roman municipium , the town has been the most important trade and manufacturing centre of the area for centuries. After the fall of the Roman Empire , Casale became a free municipality and, in the 15th and early 16th centuries, served as the capital of the House of Palaiologos . Then in 1536,

9435-580: The royal box hang from a structure supported on stucco caryatids by Abbondio Sangiorgio who also designed the equestrian statue in Piazza Mazzini. The stage curtain, showing Apollo in His Sun Chariot, was designed by the scenographer Bernardino Galliari (1707–1794). A sketch for the curtain is preserved at the Galleria Sabauda in Turin. From the side of the theatre, Via Garibaldi leads northwards to

9546-516: The siege of Casale dragged on. The diversion of money and men from the war against the Dutch Republic weakened the Spanish position in Flanders and forced them onto the defensive. Philip later admitted attacking Casale was the one political act he regretted, but once committed Spanish prestige made it impossible to withdraw. Although Olivares accepted 'the duke of Nevers is the legitimate heir to all

9657-539: The siege on August 27 and accepted surrender of the city on 2 February 1797. The city was recaptured by the Austrians in the War of the Second Coalition after a siege lasting from 8 April to 28 July 1799. Later, the city again passed into Napoleon's control and became a part of Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy. In 1810 Andreas Hofer was shot by Porta Giulia, a gate of the town at Borgo di Porto (Cittadella) for leading

9768-524: The son of Isabella of Majorca , did not participate. Gian Galeazzo spent 300,000 golden florins attempting to turn from their courses the river Mincio from the city of Mantua , but Gian Galeazzo died. In 1536 it passed to the Gonzagas of Mantua , who fortified it strongly. Thereafter it was of considerable importance as a fortress and was besieged during the Mantuan War of Succession . In 1745, following

9879-458: The square, there is a marble statue of the archaeologist and architect Luigi Canina by Benedetto Cacciatore. Piazza Castello is a large irregularly shaped open space used as a car park and as a market square; it is dominated by the castle of the Paleologi which occupies most of its western side. The square arose in 1858 through the demolition of the castle's eastern ravelin and was extended in

9990-451: The strategic town of Cremona and block the Alpine passes. Siege operations only began in March and since Casale was one of the largest and most modern fortifications in Europe, taking it would be a lengthy operation, giving Nevers time to recruit an army. Including militia and French mercenaries, he managed to raise a force of 14,000, including 2,000 cavalry, a significant number for a duchy with

10101-473: The substance is often earlier), reflecting the urban renewal which took place in the early decades of the 18th century. Among the best-known are: The civic museum is located in the ancient convent of Santa Croce, whose cloister is decorated with frescos by il Moncalvo . Casale was an important centre for Italian music from the 13th through the 17th centuries. During the Albigensian Crusade , Casale

10212-406: The technological innovations driven by environmental and energy efficiencies aspects which are used by those companies. Casale is also known for the training facilities in refrigeration and air conditioning organised by Centro Studi Galileo since 1975. Before asbestos, Casale Monferrato was an important centre of quarries of limestone and the production of lime (since the Roman times the strength of

10323-410: The town in 1945. New companies started in 1957 Mondial Frigori s.r.l. and many more after. Only to name few Carma S.p.A., Cofi S.p.A., Framec S.p.A., all of them connected in some way with Franger Frigor. In 1965 Vendo Italy S.p.A. which sells bottle coolers and vending machines. Late '60 Cold Car started a new production in refrigerated vehicles using eutectic plates. Other companies started production in

10434-567: The town passed to the Gonzagas who fortified it with a large citadel. In the 17th century, Casale was heavily involved in the War of the Mantuan Succession and besieged by French and Spanish troops. During the wars of Italian unification the town was a defensive bulwark against the Austrian Empire . In the 1900s Casale, in the middle of the Turin - Milan - Genoa industrial triangle, developed as an important industrial centre, especially known for

10545-501: The walls and the vault are 15 tondi depicting prophets, apostles and the Virgin painted by Pietro Francesco Guala in 1757, the last year of his life. The south side of Piazza Santo Stefano, facing back towards Via Saffi, is formed by the neo-classical Palazzo Ricci di Cereseto. The imposing façade, marked by four massive brick columns, was built in 1806 to an earlier design by the local architect Francesco Ottavio Magnocavalli . Also in

10656-477: The withdrawal of the main French army, this left him vulnerable to a counter-offensive. Richelieu positioned 18,000 troops on the Savoyard frontier to deter Imperial intervention, but Ferdinand viewed opposing the French in Italy as a higher priority than supporting Spain against the Dutch. The June 1629 Treaty of Lübeck that ended his war with Denmark-Norway allowed Ferdinand to send 30,000 troops from Germany under

10767-601: Was a refuge for troubadours fleeing regions to the west; the music of such troubadours may have been decisive in the formation of secular Italian musical styles in the 14th century . In the 16th century, the town was incorporated into the holdings of the Gonzaga family, who were patrons of music throughout the Renaissance. The cathedral there has in its archives polyphonic music by Jean Mouton , Andreas de Silva , and Francesco Cellavenia , as well as important prints by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and other major composers of

10878-508: Was a vociferous collector and such was her reputation that Niccolò da Corregio called her 'la prima donna del mondo'. Through a payment of 120,000 golden florins in 1433, Gianfrancesco I was appointed Marquis of Mantua by the Emperor Sigismund , whose niece Barbara of Brandenburg married his son, Ludovico. In 1459, Pope Pius II held the Council of Mantua to proclaim a crusade against

10989-762: Was born in the year 70 BC at a village near the city which is now known as Virgilio. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire at the hands of Odoacer in 476 AD, Mantua was, along with the rest of Italy, conquered by the Ostrogoths . It was retaken by the Eastern Roman Empire in the middle of the 6th century following the Gothic war but was subsequently lost again to the Lombards . They were in turn conquered by Charlemagne in 774, thus incorporating Mantua into

11100-471: Was canceled on 1 January 2015. Public connection is now provided by the airport bus running to and from Verona Porta Nuova railway station, and the Verona-Mantova railway line. Local bus services, urbano (within the city area and suburbs) and interurbano (within the surrounding towns and villages) are provided by APAM. Since local government political reorganization in 1993, Mantua has been governed by

11211-572: Was ceded to France, who transferred Lombardy to Piedmont-Sardinia in return for Nice and Savoy . Mantua, although a constituent province of Lombardy, still remained under the Austrian Empire along with Venetia. In 1866, Prussia-led North German Confederation sided with the newly established, Piedmont-led Kingdom of Italy against the Austrian Empire in the Third Italian War of Independence . The quick defeat of Austria led to its withdrawal of

11322-419: Was established in its place, and remained operational until April 1945. The Gonzagas protected the arts and culture, and were hosts to several important artists such as Leone Battista Alberti , Andrea Mantegna , Giulio Romano , Donatello , Peter Paul Rubens , Pisanello , Domenico Fetti , Luca Fancelli and Nicolò Sebregondi. Though many of the masterworks have been dispersed, the cultural value of Mantua

11433-667: Was finally suppressed by the Austrian army. One of the most famous episodes of the Italian Risorgimento took place in the valley of the Belfiore, where a group of rebels was hanged by the Austrians. At the Battle of Solferino ( Second Italian War of Independence ) in 1859, the House of Savoy 's Piedmont-Sardinia sided with the French Emperor Napoleon III against the Austrian Empire. Following Austria's defeat, Lombardy

11544-625: Was founded in 1956 and today competes in Lega Basket Serie A , the first tier of the sport in Italy. Notable people born in Casale, or with close connections to the town, include: A siege of the town plays a significant off-stage role in Alessandro Manzoni 's novel The Betrothed , and is the centre of Chapter 2 of the novel The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco , who was born in neighbouring Alessandria . Casale also appears in

11655-539: Was routed by the Imperials at Villabuona . With the mutinous and unpaid garrison down to only 700 effectives, it surrendered to Gallas and Aldringen on 18 July; the sack that followed reportedly produced booty worth over 18 million ducats . Plague and the sack combined to reduce the population of Mantua by over 70% between 1628 and 1631 and it took decades to recover. Despite this, the retention of Casale meant Nevers' cause remained alive; on 26 July, Charles Emmanuel died and

11766-544: Was succeeded by his son Victor Amadeus , who was married to Christine of France , Louis XIII's younger sister. On 6 August, Montmorency defeated the Savoyards at Carignano ; losses from disease and desertion left him too weak to relieve Casale, but reinforcements under Charles de Schomberg reached the fortress in early October. The siege works were flooded by heavy rain while the besiegers had been reduced by plague to under 4,000, their casualties including Spinola; on 29 October,

11877-520: Was the countess Matilda of Canossa (d. 1115), who, according to legend, ordered the construction of the precious Rotonda di San Lorenzo (or St. Lawrence's Roundchurch) in 1082. The Rotonda still exists today and was renovated in 2013. After the death of Matilda of Canossa, Mantua became a free commune and strenuously defended itself from the influence of the Holy Roman Empire during the 12th and 13th centuries. In 1198, Alberto Pitentino altered

11988-588: Was the daughter of Duke Ercole the ruler of Ferrara ) she created her famous studiolo firstly in Castello di San Giorgio for which she commissioned paintings from Mantegna , Perugino and Lorenzo Costa . She later moved her studiolo to the Corte Vecchia and commissioned two paintings from Correggio to join the five from Castello di San Giorgio. It was unusual for a woman to have a studiolo in 15th century Italy given they were regarded as masculine spaces. Isabella

12099-443: Was the site of a large Eternit factory, that produced the homonymous asbestos cement , whose operations resulted in a massive environmental disaster , linked to the death of some 1,800 people from mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases in the area: in spite of former Eternit owner Stephan Schmidheiny and his associate, Jean-Louis de Cartie, being convicted and ordered to pay tens of millions of euros in compensation by

12210-421: Was to weaken the Habsburgs wherever possible, and threatened their alliance with the Pope, for whom liberating Italy from the "Spanish yoke" was a primary objective. Having recovered from his illness, Louis refused to ratify the treaty, while Richelieu outlasted his opponents and resumed control over French policy, which lasted until his death in 1642. In January 1631 Louis provided Gustavus with financial backing in

12321-479: Was used as a store. Major restoration work took place in the 1980s and the theatre finally reopened in 1990 with a performance by Vittorio Gassman . Since then it has offered a mixture of theatre, music and dance, while the foyer is used for exhibitions, usually photographic. The horseshoe-shaped auditorium with stalls, four tiers of boxes and a gallery (or loggione , i.e. the gods ) is richly decorated with frescoes , stucco , gilding and velvet . The curtains of

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