NIGEL'S RAMBLES

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Palazzo Ducale Mantua

Finally I have got around to visiting the Palazzo Ducale di Mantova. I have been to Mantova many times but I have never had the time necessary to visit this vast complex.

Palazzo Ducale, Mantova

Mantova was the centre of power of the Gonzaga family who ruled a vast area around this city including Sabbioneta the “Perfect City” built from scratch by one of the family.

Castello san Giorgio, Palazzo Ducale, Mantova

After a bloody coup d’état in 1328 against the previous rulers; this family ruled this area of Italy until 1707.

Their palace covers over 34,000 square metres. Unfortunately only a relatively small part can be visited.

The Gonzaga family like many of the rulers of Italy’s city states in this period were warriors who ruled with an iron fist and were capable of acts of great cruelty. For example the surviving members of the previous ruling family were chained up in a cell in the castle and left to die of starvation. At the same time they were well read and cultured patrons of the arts as the decoration of their palaces testifies. Quite schizophrenic.

The court of Ludovico Gonzaga.Camera degli Sposi, Palazzo Ducale, Mantova

Camera dei Sposi, Palazzo Ducale, Mantova

I started my tour in the castle with the “Camera degli Sposi” a wonderful frescoed room by Mantenga dating from the mid fifteenth century.

Camera dei Sposi, Palazzo Ducale, Mantova

I was lucky that I visited on a slow day with relatively few visitors because they usually let you stay five minutes in this room in the high tourist season. I was able to stay quite some time .

The next part of my visit was to the actual palace. Like the castle, some of the rooms are still closed after the earthquake that we suffered some time ago.

The route one takes in the palace starts off with a couple of rooms with fresco fragments and preparatory fresco drawings dating from the fifteenth century before one enters with a sense of surprise the huge Salone degli Arcieri.

Sala Pisanello, Palazzo Ducale, Mantova

Palazzo Ducale, Mantova

One of the side rooms one find the neo classic Sala dei Specchi which for me was one of the highlights of the visit.

Sala dei Specchi, Palazzo Ducale, Mantova

One then passes through a series of small rooms including the Stanza del Labirinto with its fantastic labyrinth ceiling.

Salone degli Arcieri, Palazzo Ducale, Mantova

Stanza del Labirinto,Palazzo Ducale, Mantova

Visiting the palace is a series of surprises including the Camera dello Zodiaco with its astrological ceiling that dates from 1579.

Camera dello Zodiaco, Palazzo Ducale, Mantova

The last of the large rooms that I saw was the Sala dei Fiumi with its frescoes representing the rivers around Mantova. It also has a couple of Grottoes, one at each end. The decorations one sees here date from 1775.

Sala dei Fiumi,Palazzo Ducale, Mantova

Palazzo Ducale, Mantova

I must admit that I expected a bit more from this palace after seeing Sabbioneta and fantastic Palazzo Te also in Mantova. But it was well worth the visit all the same.

Mantova

Saturday, November 7, 2015

The Empty Landscape

Sunday was a perfect day for the bike ride I did along the River Oglio near Mantua in the Po valley. It was one of those fresh cold days with very little mist.

River Oglio, MN

I started out from San Matteo delle Chiaviche and took the road on the western “Argine “ towards Gazzuolo. The road mostly follows closely to the river on this side. One is as always stuck by the sensation of vast empty space when exploring the “Bassa” area of the Po Valley.

River Oglio, MN

Bocca Chiavica,MN

Bocca Chiavica,MN

San Matteo delle Chiaviche, MN

Bocca Chiavica,MN

This side of the river affords the best views of the river.

Bocca Chiavica,MN

At Gazzuolo I crossed the road bridge for the return trip southwards along the Eastern “Argine”. The landscape is even more spacious on this side.

Bocca Chiavica,MN

Motella,MN

"Corte" Motella,MN

I was much quicker doing this circular trip than I expected so I decided to ride along a bit of the River Po nearby.

Scorzarolo,MN

I was rewarded by some fortunate moments; a large boat arrived to add interest to the pictures of one of the most spectacular views of the Po and I came across a itinerant Sheppard with his sheep a relic of the “transhumance” that I touched on in my last Blog post.

Scorzarolo,MN

San Matteo delle Chiaviche,MN

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Pathway to an Epitaph

It has been a horrible autumn so far this year with lots of rain. Sunday seemed to present an isolated day of good weather so I decided to take advantage and take an autumn hike along the Apennines from Passo Pradarena to Passo Romecchio to pay my respects to a particular little monument.

Arriving at the pass the weather did not look too promising with the top of the “Crinale” covered in cloud. Indeed the first hour of my walk took place in the middle of the clouds covering the mountains. However at a certain point when I was beginning to wonder if it was worth carrying on, I saw the mist had started to move in the opposite direction, always a good sign that things are changing. In a matter of minutes the clouds had almost disappeared and I found myself in the middle of a splendid autumn day.

Monte di Soraggio,RE

I was too late this year to see the red sea on certain parts of the mountains that the Myrtle Berries create in autumn, but the bright orange colours of the Beach tree forests was a good substitute. The vast swathes of dead grass also gives a strange fawn colour to the landscape.

Monte Sillano,LU

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After leaving the forest track at Ronco di Fuori this path becomes one of the most spectacular paths in the high Apennines, with some wonderful views all round as one follows the high crest. On one side is the vast glacial circus below Monte di Soraggio and on the other the Alpi Apuane and the Garfagnana. Looking ahead one sees the massive form of Monte Cusna. The steep slopes on each side of the path give you the impression of being very high up above surrounding landscape.