Architectural, Cultural sights in Ferrara
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A
Duomo
The outstanding feature of the pink-and-white 12th-century Duomo is its three-tiered marble facade, combining Romanesque and Gothic styles on the lower and upper tiers respectively. Much of the upper level is a graphic representation of the Final Judgment and heaven and hell (notice the four figures clambering out of their coffins). Astride a pair of handsome lions at the base squats an oddly secular duo, mouths agape at the effort of holding it all up.
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B
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 nonetheless imposing.
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C
Pinacoteca Nazionale
Named after the diamond-shaped ashlar stones on its facade, 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.
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D
Palazzo Schifanoia
Ferrara’s most famous frescoes are in the Este’s 14th-century pleasure palace, Palazzo Schifanoia. In the Salone dei Mesi, Francesco del Cossa’s 15th-century frescoes depicting the months and seasons are considered among the best examples of their type in Italy.
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E
Casa Romei
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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F
Palazzina di Marfisa d'Este
The Palazzina di Marfisa d’Este reveals ornate 16th-century decorations and a shady garden.
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