Mantua, sorrounded by water, preserves in the history of its formation an extraordinary liminal condition. The research investigates the relationship -ancient and contemporary – between the city and the lakes through a series of structures and architectures capable, over time, of communicationg the value of the dialogue between the land and the water. Porto Catena, as a knot in this relationship, opens the possibility of imagining new connections and new uses for the city, starting from a conscius critique of recent history that has alterated its most authentic value as well as its original layout.