Pomponesco (MN) - One of the most beautiful villages in Italy - Lombardy

Mainly made up of a single large square. It is Piazza XXIII Aprile, and its structure has remained the same as it was in the 17th century except for the Castle, which, at the time, stood right in the middle of the square, but which is no longer there... #tuttitaly

Position📍

On the left bank of the river Po, in the lower part of Mantua, stands Pomponesco, a splendid village listed among the most beautiful villages in Italy.

The plan of the city we see today is identical to that of Giulio Cesare Gonzaga, who transformed the village into an ideal city.

The only building that has not survived to this day is the castle of the Marquis, destroyed by the French during the 18th century. In its place, we find the beautiful Piazza XXIII Aprile, framed by the splendid buildings' arcades, once the Gonzaga courtiers' home.

Almost all the buildings surrounding the square can be dated between 1590 and 1630. Many still retain the original wooden ceilings and, in some cases, the frescoes of the time.

The Town Hall and the fourteenth-century church of Santa Felicita, and the Sette Fratelli Martiri overlook the square.

Of notable interest is the Teatro 1900: one of the village theatres widespread in the Po Valley in the last century.

Events and Specialties

At the end of August, a festival is dedicated to lùadèl, a type of bread that has been famous in these areas since the Gonzagas.

It is a flatbread that should be eaten while hot, accompanied by tasty local cured meats. Its origin dates back to the activity of the ovens of the farmhouses in the area when there was the habit of controlling the temperature by inserting a processed loaf full of lard inside.

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