Showing 1-12 of 12 results
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Casa Romei
East of Piazza Trento Trieste, the Renaissance Casa Romei is where Lucrezia Borgia spent much of her time in Ferrara. The austere brick exterior hides a peaceful inner patio and, on the 1st floor, a 16th-century apartment preserved in its original state.
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Castello Estense
Complete with moat and drawbridge, Ferrara's towering Castello Estense was commissioned by Nicolò II d'Este in 1385. Initially it was intended to protect him and his family from the town's irate citizenry, who were up in arms over tax increases, but in the late 15th century it became the family's permanent residence.
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Cathedral
Take your time gazing at the superb three-tiered marble facade of the cathedral. Its upper part is a graphic representation of the final judgement (see the figures climbing out of their coffins). Astride a pair of handsome lions at the base squat an oddly secular duo, mouths agape at the effort of holding it all up. On the south side is a medieval gallery.
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Duomo
The outstanding feature of the pink-and-white 12th-century Duomo is its three-tiered marble façade, combining Romanesque and Gothic styles on the lower and upper tiers respectively. Much of the upper level is a graphic representation of the Final Judgement and heaven and hell. Astride a pair of handsome lions at the base squat an oddly secular duo, mouths agape at the effort of holding it all up. Along the south side of the cathedral is an attractive colonnaded merchants' gallery.
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Museo Archeologico Nazionale
You'll find yet more Etruscan artefacts, along with an impressive selection of Attic vases, in Palazzo di Ludovico il Moro at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale. Many of the finds came from the Etruscan town of Spina, near modern-day Comacchio.
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Museo del Risorgimento e della Resistenza
The small Museo del Risorgimento e della Resistenza exhibits documents, proclamations and posters from the Italian unification movement and WWII, as well as numerous uniforms, guns and hand grenades.
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Museo della Cattedrale
On the other side of Piazza Trento Trieste from the Duomo, the Museo della Cattedrale houses various artefacts from the cathedral, including a serene Madonna by Jacopo della Quercia, a couple of vigorous Cosimo Tura canvases, and some witty bas-reliefs illustrating the months of the year.
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Museo Lapidario
Your ticket to Palazzo Schifanoia also gives entry to the nearby Museo Lapidario, which has a small, undocumented collection of Roman and Etruscan stele, tombs and inscriptions.
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Palazzina di Marfisa d'Este
The Palazzina di Marfisa d'Este reveals ornate 16th-century decorations and a shady garden.
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Palazzo Municipale
Linked to the castle by an elevated passageway, the 13th-century crenellated Palazzo Municipale was the Este family home until they moved next door to the castle in the late 15th century. Nowadays, it's largely occupied by administrative offices but you can wander around its twin courtyards. The entrance is watched over by copper statues of Nicolò III and his less-wayward son Borso - they're 20th-century copies but none-the-less imposing.
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Palazzo Schifanoia
The 14th-century Palazzo Schifanoia is a sumptuous Este residence. The Salone dei Mesi (Room of the Months) is clad with vigorous, animated frescoes by Francesco del Cossa - sadly they have deteriorated badly. A ticket also gives entry to the nearby Museo Lapidario - a small, undocumented collection of Roman and Etruscan stele, inscriptions and tombs.
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Pinacoteca Nazionale
Named after the diamond-shaped ashlar stones on its façade, the Palazzo dei Diamanti was built for Sigismondo d'Este late in the 15th century. Regarded as the family's grandest palazzo, it is now home to the Pinacoteca Nazionale and its interesting collection of paintings from the Ferrarese and Bolognese schools.
Showing 1-12 of 12 results
