Gonzaga, Piazza

A large agricultural town in the Mantua region, formerly a Benedictine centre and then conquered by the Bonacolsi and finally by the Gonzagas, from whom it takes its name. The castle has two 15th century towers: the largest, with a 15th century superelevation, is one of the most significant of the Mantuan Renaissance era. The Parish Church of S. Benedetto, from 1082, pre-dates the nearby monastery founded by Canossa in the XI century and entrusted to the abbey of Polirone. It was radically transformed in the Renaissance area (but the neo-Romanesque facade is from 1925) and has four original brick columns inside with cubic capitals. The convent of S. Maria, erected by Francesco II Gonzaga at the end of the XV century, has a late gothic style cloister (currently being restored).
Among the important events are: the Ancient Fair of Gonzaga, which takes place from the first to the second Sunday in September. Legalised with a legal document signed by Duke Guglielmo Gonzaga in 1580, the fair was a destination for multitudes of people coming from all over the country. Since ancient times, the market has taken place in September, to mark the anniversary of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. In 1488, the marquis of Mantua, Francesco II, had a convent and a church erected here. The greatest splendour of the fair was achieved in the 1500s and 1600s. Today there are still demonstrations of agriculture, industry, handicrafts and zootechnics.