Palazzo Te | Sala dei Cavalli

Intended for welcoming guests and for the most important ceremonies, Sala dei Cavalli, probably realized between 1526 and 1528, takes its name from the life-size portraits of the steeds painted in the lower part of the frescoed walls.
Federico II Gonzaga, like his ancestors, raised them in the famous Gonzaga stables and held them in the utmost account, considering them the highest homage that could be paid to an illustrious guest.

Some still bear their name at the bottom, among the hooves: Morel Favorito, the gray horse on the south wall; Dario, the clearest on the north face.
Horses, which stand out against the backdrop of landscapes, dominate a grandiose architecture painted on the walls, punctuated by Corinthian pilasters and niches that house statues of divinities or, above the windows, busts of famous characters.