Palazzo Nievo

The Nievo family arrived in the Mantuan province from Vicenza at the end of the 17th century and they still lived here at the at the end of the next century, when Alessandro, the grandfather of Ippolito, had it restored in 1805.
Ippolito was born in Padua in 1831, and spent some years in Mantua during his youth.
In 1848, as a student of the Liceo, he took part to the uprisings first in Mantua, then in Tuscany.
First attracted by the Mazzinian ideals, he joined Cavour in the 1850s.
In those same years, his very prolific career as a journalist, poet and novelist took off.
In his novel “Le confessioni d’un Italiano” - one of the masterpieces of 19th century Italian literature - he presents a broad view of Italy’s recent history.
At the same time, convinced that it was necessary to create the conditions for a wider participation of the people in the national revolution, he became closer to Garibaldi.
In 1859, he fought in the ranks of the Hunters of the Alps.
The following year, he sailed with the Mille, and was appointed vice-supervisor of the expedition.
He died in the night between 4 and 5 March 1861 in the shipwreck of the "Ercole" steam boat as he was returning home.
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