Monuments to visit Ferrara

Built from the mid-13th century, this palace was the first residence of the Este family before the court was transferred to the castle in the 16th century. Access to the palace and its court is marked by the statues of Niccolo III on horseback (right) and Duke Borso d'Este on the throne (left). In the Ducal Court, nowadays the Municipal Piazzetta, you can see the Renaissance staircase of the 15th century. On its left is the former chapel, the Capella Ducale (now converted into a theatre), which in its time housed numerous choirs.

Ferrara is divided into two parts by a west-east axis formed by viale Cavour and corso Giovecca. To the south, the historic centre, with the cathedral and medieval alleys. To the north is a new district commonly known as the Addizione Erculea since it was built ex novo at the end of the 15th century at the request of Hercules I d'Este. The project was not a simple extension of the urban fabric, but a well thought-out urban planning project. The old walls on the north side were demolished and the architect Biaggio Rossetti created a new Renaissance quarter around two axes (corso Ercole I d'Este and the corsi Porta Po, Biagio Rossetti and Porta di Mare). At the intersection of the two axes, the Quadrivio degli Angeli with its beautiful palaces, among which the Palazzo dei Diamanti. This project was also a response to another idea. Traced within a square representing the horoscope of yesteryear, the two avenues corresponded to the equinoxes and the Diamond Palace to the position of the sun. In this Addizione, everything has been thought out down to the last detail in a scenographic way, taking into account the ancient part of the city. The majestic palaces follow one another, the wide avenues are a pleasant stroll and at the same time offer beautiful views, especially of the Castello Estense, which, with the addition of this new district, is at the centre of the urban fabric. At the time, this project was not only innovative, but brilliant, hence the title Ferrara acquired as the first modern city in Europe.