Mantua: Climb and guided tour of the Basilica and dome of Sant'Andrea

Discover the Basilica of Sant'Andrea in Mantua through new tour itineraries.

Commissioned by the Marquis Ludovico Gonzaga and built starting in 1472, based on a design by the humanist Leon Battista Alberti, the city's co-cathedral, which houses the tomb of the court painter Andrea Mantegna, is one of the greatest expressions of Italian Renaissance architecture.

The basilica's crypt, inside the Sacred Vessels, holds the most venerable relic of Christianity: the Precious Blood of Jesus, brought to Mantua, according to tradition, by the Roman soldier Longinus and rediscovered thanks to the miraculous revelations of Saint Andrew. This relic is a sign of redemption and faith, and it's contributed to the city's development and fame.

Through walkways never before open to the public, you can reach the immense 18th-century dome, built by Filippo Juvarra to complete the structure, and enjoy exclusive and panoramic views of the building and the city.