The Palazzo Pastorio
The Pastorio palace was bought
at the end of the 15th century by Bartolomeo
Pastorio, a nobleman of Paduan
origin, who settled in Castiglione delle Stiviere around 1440-1450. Due to a dispute between
cousins, in 1750 – 60 the building was divided into two parts, both of which
were enlarged. The left?part of the palace – the
present Palazzo Bondoni Pastorio
- underwent a complex refurbishment, which gave it the form it still has today.
Between 1760 and 1765 Giovan Giacomo
Pastorio (IV) created a second floor at the front of
the building and realized a façade of balanced proportions, the two main
entrances faced with ashlar work in the shape of marble diamonds, the windows
at the “piano nobile” topped with classical
tympanums, the second floor ornate with lighter frames and volutes. In
accordance with the Lombard aristocracy’s taste of this period, Giovan Giacomo Pastorio wanted for his house that elegant and light
late-baroque style that took the name of “barocchetto
lombardo”.
Francesco, the eldest son of Giovan
Giacomo, and then his children, further beautified
the palace. The period between about 1800 and 1824 saw the decoration of the “Sala dei Paesaggi”,
the “Landscapes Room” on the ground floor, realized, where the ceiling is
ornate with monochrome frescos depicting symbols of poetry, music and theater,
while many small panels include representations of Pastorio
domains, together with landscapes of the “Alto mantovano”
(the territory around Castiglione), and classical ruins. A recognizable image
of the palace itself is painted in the panel over the entrance door of the
room. At the “piano nobile” the three rooms at the
front are characterized by ornamented ceilings: the central one has a coffer
ceiling with floral patterns, the one to the left as one enters is decorated
with pictures of the sky and architectural features, while in the one to the
right coats of arms of the families who married into the Pastorio
family are included in the panels. The big ballroom, also used as a theater is
located on the same floor.
In the entrance hall of the palace there is a marble
statue of Prince Francesco Gonzaga. The prince is dressed as a Roman emperor,
with the golden fleece necklace and a laurel leaf crown. The statue was created
between 1610 and 1617 by Giovanni Antonio Carra, a
sculptor coming from
The
Palazzo Pastorio The
Bondoni and Pastorio
Families
The
Abbots of Castiglione Henry
Dunant and the Red Cross General Tellera
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of Trustees Friends Address