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Visit Mirandola

Mirandola is a small city (about 20,000 inhabitants), but with an important history for its position on the limit between Mantua and Veneto.

Mirandola and its Castle

A tale of treasures lost...

A visit to Mirandola can start from the Castle of the Pico (restored in 2006), although the demolitions to which it has been subjected have been  considerable, such as the big-tower (Torrione) built under Giovan Francesco Pico II in 1500. Unfortunately paintings by the great painter Cosme Tura, who created ten tableaux for the Library of the Castle, have also been lost. Other excellent works of painting were executed in the castle during the seventeenth century when Alessandro Pico built new rooms that were decorated by famous painters such as Jacopo Palma il Giovane (1544-1628) and Sante Peranda (1566-1638) - unfortunately, a substantial part of the artistic heritage of the castle has been irretrievably dispersed, including some works now held in the Ducal Palace of Mantua.

Under the rule of Alexander II the so-called New Gallery was built, with frescoes by Biagio Falceri (1628-1703), which also contained prestigious works of the greatest Italian artists of the Renaissance such as Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Raffaello (1483-1520), Caravaggio (1571-1610) and Tiziano (1480 ca-1576). Unfortunately, from the eighteenth century, the Castle of the Pico suffered serious damages, probably to erase forever from the city the name of the Pico.

Today the castle houses the Civic Museum of Mirandola. The exhibition consists of paintings, coins, prints, furniture, documents and archaeological findings that tell the story of Mirandola, its institutions, and several portraits of prominent members of the Pico family, such as Giovan Francesco Pico della Mirandola (1469-1533). See also history of Mirandola for details.

In the Piazza del Duomo you can admire the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (1440), which retains its original gothic style, while the façade was restored in the nineteenth century.  It has an interior with three naves with vaulted ceilings and it retains valuable paintings and frescoes. The bell tower is 48 meters high. The lower part is of the late fifteenth century.

A little later you find the Municipality Palace dating back to the fifteenth century (rebuilt during the 19th century), which contains the portraits of the Pico and a precious painting attributed to Palma il Giovane. Other public buildings of great artistic interest are the Bergomi Palace and the Palazzo della Ragione, while, among the religious buildings, are worthy of mention the church of Santa Maria della Porta (XIV century), with a neo-classical style façade. The church was consecrated in the early seventeenth century to the Virgin to celebrate the end of an epidemic that had severely affected the city. Also remarkable is the gothic style Church of San Francesco (XIII century), which houses the tombs of the Pico.

Mirandola cuisine

Mirandola is a city deeply attached to ancient traditions - including cuisine. The region offers dishes especially tasty and pleasing and is the home of the famous 'zampone' (pig’s trotter). Also very good are the sauces, the roast pork and, among the first courses, the macaroni. Among the cheeses, the Parmigiano Reggiano dominates while among the sweet tarts try the ring-shaped cake called Belsone, some of the numerous fruits jams, and, finally, the compotes with balsamic vinegar.