On 7th July 2008, Mantua and Sabbioneta were listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. A single site for two cities which were at the centre of an intense cultural scene during the Renaissance. Indeed, both offer an exceptional testimony to the urban planning, architecture and art of the period, and were linked by the ideals and ambitions of the ruling Gonzaga family. Different, but at the same time complementary: the newly-founded city of Sabbioneta, designed by Vespasiano Gonzaga Colonna as the perfect capital for his dukedom in the 16th century, and Mantua, founded in Etruscan - Roman times and constantly developing while still preserving its Renaissance character. A heritage to be protected, respected and handed down to future generations.