Villas, historical residences and theatres
Ferrara
Palazzo Renata di Francia
The palazzo was built around 1475, possibly to a design by Pietro Benvenuto degli Ordini.
Palazzo Paradiso - Ariostea Library
The palace was built in 1391 and decorated with scenes of court life and motifs drawn from the literature of chivalry.
Municipal Theater
The theatre of Ferrara was built between 1790 and 1797, under the direction of Antonio Foschini and Cosimo Morelli.
Casa Romei
Giovanni Romei became administrator to the lords of Ferrara and married the princess Polissena d’Este. On the Via di San Francesco he had a house built that showed his high ranking.
Palazzo Bonacossi
This was built in 1468 for Diotisalvi Neroni, a Florentine exile protected by Borso d'Este.
Palazzo Costabili
In 1502 work began on the construction of a large palace on the Via della Ghiara (now Via XX Settembre) for Antonio Costabili, Ferrara’s ambassador at the court of Ludovico il Moro, the Duke of Milan.
Palazzo dei Diamanti
The magnificent Palazzo dei Diamanti, at the centre of the Addizione Erculea, on the important crossroads known as the Quadrivio degli Angeli belonged to the duke’s brother Sigismondo d’Este.
Palazzo Municipale
Begun in 1245, the City Hall was the residence of the Este family until the 16th century. The main entrance is through Volto del Cavallo, opposite the cathedral, and is flanked by two sculptures, copies of the original 15th century ones.
Palazzo Schifanoia
The name of the palace derives from the motto 'schivar la noia' meaning 'avoid tedium' and refers to the building's function as a place for fun and recreation as it was an Estense ‘Delizia’ (palace for recreation).
Palazzina Marfisa d'Este
The Villa is a splendid example of a 16th-century high-class residence and was once surrounded by magnificent gardens that connected it to other buildings known as Casini di San Silvestro.
House of Ludovico Ariosto
"Parva, sed apta mihi, sed nulli obnoxia, sed non sordida, parta meo, sed tamen aere domus". "The house is small but suitable for me, clean, free of expenses and purchased solely with my own money",...
Argenta
Delizia Estense di Benvignante
This work by the court architect, Pietro Benvenuto degli Ordini, was carried out for Borso d'Este and is an excellent example of the refined, elegant Ferrarese style during the Renaissance period.
Bondeno
Casa Ariosto
In and around the atmospheric village square there are various buildings worthy of mention, including the Casa Ariosto,...
Cento
Governor's palace
The Governor's palace, also called Palace of Justice or Palace of the Clock, was built in 1502 and looks onto the square named after Il Guercino.
Municipal Theatre
The Theatre was built between 1856 and 1861 and was projected by A. Giordani from Cento.
Codigoro
Bishop’s Palace
The Riviera Cavallotti, the street in downtown Codigoro overlooking the Po di Volano, offers a stupendous view of the river.
Comacchio
Palazzo Bellini
This building stands opposite the former Hospital of San Camillo, not far from the Ponte degli Sbirri.
Ancient Hospital for the Infirm
The stately old Hospital for the Sick can be found in Via Agatopisto, the pen name of the Arcadian poet Appiano Buonafede (1716- 1793).
Copparo
Villa della Mensa
This is a monumental complex of great importance, where the bishops of Ferrara stayed until the period of the Napoleonic suppression (1797).
Town Hall
The "sumptuous palace" of Copparo which was commissioned by Ercole II d'Este in order to offer his court a pleasant place in which living was built around 1540-1547 probably by architect Terzo dei Terzi.
