About
One of the few remaining patches of Pleistocene planitic woodland in northern Italy, it was once the hunting preserve of a noble family.
The Basilica di Sant’Andrea in Mantua was built on a pre-existing church by Leon Battista Alberti in 1472, but it was completed only in 1790. During the centuries many architects (such as Juvarra) and artists helped to improve the church. The main portal features an elaborate bas-relief of leaves and small animals with symbolic meanings. The most famous is a hidden hare who is said to be a lucky charm. There is an old saying among hunters in Mantua: ”S’a t’è mia ciapà la léur, vala a tör in Sant’Andrea,” which roughly translates as, “If you haven’t caught the hare, go and get it in Sant’Andrea.”
