The White Poplar

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The White Poplar

The white poplar, a distinctive element of the landscape of the territory close to the river Po, brings us back to the myth of Fetonte who dragged in his crazy flight on the cart of his father Elios fell into the river Po. His desperate sisters were transformed by gods pity in and into lithe white poplars and their tears in the precious amber.

There is a splendid commemorative coin from the Gonzaga period where Fetonte is depicted on the ungovernable chariot of the Sun and the river with poplars. And the white poplar surrounds the river's waters and the numerous ponds that are filled in the capricious rhythm of the seasons.

The white poplar is now a decorative element of botanical respect, once used in carpentry and in the production of weaving straw for hats, bags and containers.

Nearby

convento

Church and Former Convent of the Augustinians


Also known as the church of the former hospital or church of the “Conventino”. It was built at the end of the 15th century by the will of Caterina Pico - Marquis of Luzzara Rodolfo Gonzaga’s wife. It was nearly destroyed to the foundations and reconstructed between 1764 and 1771. Fortunately, the 15th-century apse has been left intact. The sacristy hosts the remains of a funerary monument - dedicated to Luigi Gonzaga, who died in 1570 - partially destroyed by a fire in 1918. In the upper part of the monument, in the very centre, it is possible to admire the Gonzaga coat of arms - borne up by two putti and dominated by a two-headed crowned eagle. The monument stands on an architrave borne by two large statues: a Caryatid and an Atlas. From the centre, under the ledge and borne by a lion’s head, a fruit festoon passes over the Caryatids and descends towards the outer sides, up to the large corbel of the base, where two eagles are placed. The monument also housed a plaque dedicated to Luigi Gonzaga. Frescoes of historical and artistic interest have been recently discovered under the adjacent porch.