The Reggia dei Gonzaga or the Palazzo Ducale is located in the city of Mantua, or Mantova. The palace is, in fact, a group of buildings located between Piazza Sordello and the shore of the bottom lake in the north east side of the city. The entire structure is made of a large number of gardens, courtyards and buildings.

The structure used to be formed by a series of different buildings, which were then joined in an organic fashion in the 16th century, when the palace evolved into a single large architectural complex, occupying an area of 35,000 square meters, one of the largest in Europe. The palace was turned into a private residence in the year 1328 by the Gonzaga family, when Duke Charles Ferdinand was sent to exile. It was abandoned in the 19th century and was only later restored to make it a state museum.