Sabbioneta

Sabbioneta is a town and in the province of Mantua, Lombardy region, Northern Italy. It is situated about north of Parma, not far from the northern bank of the Po River. It is a member of the I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy") association. It was inscribed in the World Heritage List in 2008. History Sabbioneta was founded by Vespasiano I Gonzaga in the late 16th century along the ancient Roman Via Vitelliana, on a sandy bank of the Po (whence the name, meaning "sandy" in Italian); he was its first duke, using it as a personal fortress and residence. It was also during this period that it became a minor musical centre; composers such as Benedetto Pallavicino (c. 1551–1601) were employed here by Vespasiano Gonzaga, prior to his moving to the main Gonzaga city of Mantua.