Mantua is a city in Lombardy, in the north of Italy, that is a serious Renaissance gem of a place but remains a little-known holiday destination outside of its homeland. However, with its pretty buildings, rich cultural history, scenic and lush surroundings and status as well and truly off the beaten tourist path, it makes for an excellent vacation destination! Just find a vacation rental in Lombardy and come explore this stunning city.
One of the crowning jewels of this beautiful town is the Bibiena Theatre, also known as the Scientific Theatre, as it was intended for the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts and designed to accommodate performances, scientific experiments and scientific doctrinal expositions.
Today, it remains an important educational centre and is a museum and a venue that is used for music festivals, concerts and important conventions.
One of the crowning jewels of this beautiful town is the Bibiena Theatre, also known as the Scientific Theatre, as it was intended for the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts and designed to accommodate performances, scientific experiments and scientific doctrinal expositions.
Today, it remains an important educational centre and is a museum and a venue that is used for music festivals, concerts and important conventions.
The lovely interior is expressed in a late Baroque or early Rococo style and was designed by Antonio Galli Bibiena, while the classical façade was created by Giuseppe Piermarini. It is built on a bell-shaped ground plan and is no longer laid out in the tiers typical of the Renaissance but retains four lines of stunning 17th century wood-carved theatre boxes.
Erected between 1767 and 1769, it was opened on the 16th of January in 1770 with a performance by the then 14 year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as part of his first Italian tour. His father, Leopold, in writing to his wife after the concert said that he had “never seen anything so beautiful” in his life.
Very much worth a visit to take in the architectural beauty of the building alone, it costs just a couple of euro to enter and wander around. However, if you get an opportunity to do so, attending for an event offers the true and whole experience of the building and the theatre.
Erected between 1767 and 1769, it was opened on the 16th of January in 1770 with a performance by the then 14 year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as part of his first Italian tour. His father, Leopold, in writing to his wife after the concert said that he had “never seen anything so beautiful” in his life.
Very much worth a visit to take in the architectural beauty of the building alone, it costs just a couple of euro to enter and wander around. However, if you get an opportunity to do so, attending for an event offers the true and whole experience of the building and the theatre.
If you are exploring this great Renaissance city, this charming Baroque theatre is certainly a highlight.
Photo credits
picture 1: asbruff / CC BY 2.0;
picture 2: Hans A. Rosbach / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Cipave / CC BY-SA 4.0
picture 1: asbruff / CC BY 2.0;
picture 2: Hans A. Rosbach / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Cipave / CC BY-SA 4.0
