THE SHADOW OF THE FINZI-CONTINIS

Starting from Corso Martiri della Libertà, the itinerary follows the monumental Corso Ercole I d'Este to reach the Walls and the Urban Park, as far as the Jewish Cemetery in Via delle Vigne, where Giorgio Bassani is buried

>>>Corso Ercole I d'Este

A Renaissance street connecting the Estense Castle and Porta degli Angeli, Corso Ercole I d'Este is renowned for being home to palaces, among which there is Palazzo dei Diamanti, and museums, cornerstones of the so called Erculean Addition, the revolutionary urban development project conceived by Duke Ercole I d'Este and his architect Biagio Rossetti between the late fifteenth and the early sixteenth century.

One of the most famous portrayals of Corso Ercole I d'Este is found in the famous novel The Garden of the Finzi-Continis.

>>>Parco Massari

Massari Park, which takes its name from the adjacent late-16th century building, is the largest public garden within the city walls. It is also known for having inspired Ggorgio Bassani in his description of the legendary garden of the Finzi Contini,a non-existent place that is the figment of the writer's imagination.

>>>Certosa (cemetery)

This large complex was originally founded as a Carthusian monastery by Borso d'Este between 1452 and 1461, when the area was outside the city walls. According to Bassani, Piazza della Certosa has always been the destination for lovers' tryst. [G. Bassani, Clelia's Trotti's Last Days].

>>>DETOUR

From Corso Ercole I d'Este, turning onto Via Arianuova, you will come across Ariosto Secondary School, adjacent to the Levantine Cemetery (Via G. Rossi). A bit further along is the House of Ludovico Ariosto.

Giorgio Bassani attended Ariosto Secondary School while it was at 60 Via Borgo dei Leoni, during the years in which the Fascist regime was relatively accepted by the public, before the promulgation of Italy's racial laws (1926-1934), where he stood out for the quality of his work. Regarding his secondary school years, it is also worth mentioning the moment he met his Latin and Greek teacher, Francesco Viviani who was esteemed by Bassani and reinvented as the character Professor Guzzo in Behind the Door.

House of Ludovico Ariosto - Giorgio Bassani Foundation

Purchased by the poet in 1526, the house (along with its land and vegetable garden) was Ariosto's home in the latter part of his life, up to 1533. At the moment, it is home to the Giorgio Bassani Foundation, which houses the writer's library and personal items including a reconstruction of his studio in Rome.

>>>The City Walls and Giorgio Bassani Park

Added to the Unesco World Heritage List in 1995, the historical centre of Ferrara is bordered by one of the largest rings of fortified walls in Italy. This defensive system has been entirely restored thanks to a complex and impressive ten-year project that began in 1988. From Porta degli Angeli you have a complete view of the park named after Bassani in 2003. It extends for more than 1200 hectares and occupies the area that was once the Barco, a hunting reserve belonging to the Este family. It is also thanks to the efforts of Bassani, president of Italia Nostra at the time, that the city walls have been restored.

>>>The Jewish Cemetery - Memorial to Giorgio Bassani

Still in use today, the Jewish Cemetery in Via delle Vigne is the oldest in Emilia Romagna. It's located just behind a section of the city's walls in the Erculean Addition. Inside there are tombs from the18th century onwards. The Tomb of Giorgio Bassani and the monument dedicated to him, created by the sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro and the architect Pietro Sartogo in 2003, are found in the secluded area.