Castles, towers, bell towers

Este Castle of Mesola

The most important building in the village is certainly the massive and elegant hunting castle built by the last Duke of Ferrara, Alfonso II during the second half of the XVIth Century.

It was the last of the so-called "delizie" (delights) of the Este family. It was meant to provide hospitality for the court during the hunting season, but the entire complex was surrounded by fortification walls with towers. The castle, which stood on the western side of the entire complex, still dominates the village with its four elegant-shaped towers. The main building is surrounded by low service buildings gathered into a semi-circle, which outline the courtyard. Nowadays the castle is used as the seat of the Municipal Library and the Historic Archive. In the Civic Art Gallery important exhibitions of contemporary art take place every year. The Museum of the Wood and Deer of Mesola is located in the castle.