Palazzo della Ragione

Palazzo della Ragione in Mantua began as a medieval civic building and served the commune as a seat of justice and assembly. Its great hall now houses the Sonnabend Collection, while the astronomical clock tower above Piazza delle Erbe preserves the square’s Renaissance civic character.

Why it matters

The palace was the legal and civic centre of medieval Mantua. Known initially as the Palatium Novum, it hosted judicial functions and town assemblies, and its history reflects the changing institutions of the city. The building’s later restoration and its current role as the home of the Sonnabend Collection connect medieval civic architecture with modern and contemporary art.

What to notice

The great hall preserves traces of frescoes, including battle scenes from the late twelfth century and sacred figures by Grisopolo from the mid-thirteenth century. The Sonnabend Collection places post-war and contemporary works within this medieval space. Above the palace, the Torre dell’Orologio was built in 1472–73 to a design by Luca Fancelli; Bartolomeo Manfredi’s astronomical clock was inaugurated in December 1473 and displayed hours, zodiac signs, planetary hours and lunar days.

Context and history

The palace grew as Mantua’s civic life shifted toward the market square near Sant’Andrea. It served as the communal seat and court of justice. Marquis Ludovico II Gonzaga added the clock tower in 1472–73, designed by Luca Fancelli with an astronomical clock by Bartolomeo Manfredi. In 1700, Doricilio Moscatelli altered the medieval windows. In the early twentieth century Aldo Andreani restored the building toward its medieval appearance. After earthquake damage in 2012 and subsequent reinforcement, the palace became the setting for the Sonnabend Collection.