Mantua and Cremona

Cremona and Mantua (Mantova in Italian) are two historic “sister” cities in Southern Lombardy, Northern Italy, about 60 kilometers / 38 miles apart.
The medieval Cremona is best-known as the world’s capital of violin-making and the hometown of several famed luthiers – including Andrea Amati, Nicolò Amati, Giuseppe Guarneri “del Gesù”, and Antonio Stradivari – whose masterpieces are on display in the Museo del Violino (Museum of Violin).
Once the capital of a small yet wealthy duchy ruled by the House of Gonzaga, Mantua is widely considered one of the most exquisite medieval and Renaissance cities in Italy, and its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007. The many masterpieces of art and architecture in Mantua includes the Palazzo Ducale (with famous frescoes by Mantegna and Pisanello), the Palazzo Te designed and decorated by Giulio Romano, and the Basilica of Sant’Andrea by Giovan Battista Alberti.

Cover image: the 16th-century Palazzo Te in Mantua designed by the Renaissance architect and painter Giulio Romano; photo Olga e Zanni.