Ferrara
What to do
Ferrara is an enchanting city, rich in art and culture, to be enjoyed in every corner for its glorious past and savoured in its hospitable present with sustainable rhythms. Capital of the Renaissance, the Estensi ruled it for three centuries and gave it the magnificence it still retains today. The city is a harmonious blend of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and for this very characteristic it has been recognised by Unesco as a World Heritage Site. A small, silent village, on a human scale, to be explored on foot or by bicycle, where one can travel through the magical atmospheres of the past.
PALAZZO DEI DIAMANTI
Palazzo dei Diamanti is one of the architectural masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance. The building consists of two façades covered with more than 8,000 diamond-shaped ashlars of pink and white marble. Architect Biagio Rossetti created a true urban masterpiece by inserting the main decoration in the corner, creating a play on perspective. The corner is in fact embellished with candelabras sculpted by Gabriele Frisoni and a graceful little balcony. The interior of the palace is divided into three wings with a cloister with a marble well in the centre. Today the building is a museum, housing the National Picture Gallery and an Exhibition Space.
PALAZZO SCHIFONOIA
The Palazzo Schifanoia is one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in Ferrara, a symbol of the Este family. The building was constructed around 1385 as a creative residence to ‘banish boredom’ and dedicated to leisure and entertainment. Enlarged at the behest of Borso d’Este, the building was decorated and embellished by the contribution of several Italian Renaissance artists. One of the most stunning is the decoration of the salon with the cycle of the Months, a celebration of his lineage in an astrological and mythological key. Adding to the enchanting atmosphere is the façade crowned by a series of painted battlements and geometric designs, and the marble portal depicting one of the heraldic symbols of the lineage and a large Este coat of arms depicting Borso’s exploits.
(Fonte immagine: Baraldi
ESTENSE CASTLE
The castle is a true architectural jewel that stands out in the centre of the city. Built in 1385, it is the symbol of Ferrara, with its four towers surrounded by a moat, red bricks, white balustrades, prisons and rooms for court games. In the course of time, thanks to the Este family, the manor house became an elegant court, enriched with 16th-century line elements and sublime frescoes. Inside, the courtyard features an eight-arched loggia and an enchanting garden, which releases an intoxicating perfume during springtime.