Fish shop of Giulio Romano, Renaissance fish market in Mantua, Italy

The Pescherie di Giulio Romano is a 1536 market building by Giulio Romano, made of two round-arched porticoes in his typical rusticated stonework, with an attic above pierced by rectangular windows framed by pilasters. The two arcaded blocks flank the medieval bridge over the Rio, the canal crossing Mantua from Lake Superiore to Lake Inferiore, rather than spanning it.

The Gonzaga family commissioned this market structure in the 16th century as a trading place for fish merchants and selected a renowned architect for its design. This building was part of the broader transformation of Mantua during that period.

The market served as a meeting place for traders and shows how the Renaissance shaped everyday spaces with artistic intent. Visitors can still see the craftsmanship in the stonework, which set this from being merely practical.

The building sits in the historic center and is easily reached on foot, as it stands on a canal in the middle of town. The best way to see it is to walk through the medieval streets around the two artificial lakes that frame the city.

The market building served as a fish trading place and sits not on dry land but directly over water, which is unusual for a commercial structure. This water location allowed merchants to receive and sell fish directly from the canal.