Historical Center
Interiors The Basilica di Sant Andrea is a Renaissance church in Mantua Lombardy Italy Comissioned by Ludovico II Gonzaga the church was begun in 1472 according to designs by Leon Battista Alberti on a site occupied by a Benedictine monastery of which the bell tower 1414 remains The building however was finished only 328 years later Though later changes and expansions altered Albertiâ s design the church is still considered to be one of Alberti s most complete works The purpose of the new building was to contain the pilgrims who visited it during the feast of Ascension when a vial that the faithful argue contains the blood of Christ is brought up from the crypt below through a hole in the floor directly under the dome The relic called Preziosissimo Sangue di Cristo Highly Precious Blood of Christ is preserved in the Sacred Vessels according to the tradition was brought to Mantua by the Roman centurion Longinus It was highly venerated during the Renaissance This shrines are displayed only in the Holy Friday to the believers and then brought out along the streets of Mantua in a procession Mantua is an important city in Lombardy Italy and capital of the province of the same name Mantua is surrounded on three sides by artificial lakes created during the 12th century These receive the waters from the Mincio which descend from Lake Garda Mantua is mentioned in William Shakespeare s tragedy Romeo and Juliet The city was founded probably around 2000 BC on the banks of the Mincio on a sort of island which provided natural protection In the 6th century BC it was an Etruscan village which in Etruscan tradition was re founded by Ocno The name derives from the Etruscan god Mantus of Hades Mantua s most famous ancient citizen is the poet Publius Virgilius Maro Virgil Mantua me genuit who was born near the city in 70 BC from Wikipedia
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