The Palace of San Sebastiano is the prince’s only permanent residence built outside the vast complex of the Ducal Palace. It was built by Francesco II Gonzaga between 1506 and 1512, adjacent to Mantua’s southern walls, next to Porta Pusterla. The first set of rooms on the ground floor was completed by 1506 under the direction of Girolamo Arcari and Bernardino Ghisolfo. During this early period, the beautiful rooms on the ground floor and the loggia were built and frescoed. Between 1511 and 1512, two protruding rooms (Frecce and Brevi) were commissioned on the southern side, supported by a vault built directly on the ancient walls. All spaces were decorated with frescoes depicting feats and floral and geometric motifs, which can still be admired today despite the numerous transformations the palace has undergone over the centuries.
