The History of Corte Vignola
Where ancient legends, borderlands and deep roots intertwine

The story of this land is woven from myth, poetry and real historical events. In Canto XX of Dante’s Inferno, the poet recounts the origins of Mantua through the voice of Virgil, who tells of Manto, the prophetic maiden who sought refuge in a marshy, deserted area. She lived and died there, and her presence left such a mark that the surrounding inhabitants gathered around the place of her burial, founding a city that would take the name Mantua.

According to tradition, the surrounding territory was once a landscape of water, reeds and raised patches of dry land. From one of these natural elevations likely comes the name Casaloldo, interpreted as Casale Alto — a safe, strategic point rising above the marshes.

Between history and power: the medieval era
Medieval chronicles describe Mantua as a thriving and densely populated centre, until the events involving two key figures in its history:

Alberto di Casalodi, a local lord

Pinamonte dei Bonacolsi, who seized control of Mantua in 1272

Pinamonte ruled until 1291, shaping a period of political and territorial change that deeply influenced the surrounding villages and countryside.

A legacy that still lives today
Corte Vignola stands within this landscape rich in memory — a place where ancient legends, historical transitions and long‑standing traditions coexist. Walking through these fields means crossing centuries of stories, where nature, Dante’s verses and local history merge into a single identity.

Today, the agriturismo preserves this heritage with respect, offering guests not only a place to stay, but a genuine fragment of Mantua’s past.