Castello Estense

The Castello Estense in Ferrara (St. Michael’s Castle) was built starting in 1385 by order of the Marquis Nicolò II d’Este and designed by Bartolino da Novara. The fortress was constructed by incorporating a pre-existing tower (Tower of the Lions), which was part of the medieval city walls, and by erecting three new towers connected by a complex of buildings around a central courtyard. The entire fortress was surrounded by a wide moat with drawbridges crossing it.

Storehouses and prisons were located on an underground floor, while the ground floor held stables, armouries, and artisan’s workshops working for the army and the nobles who lived in an adjacent palace, and the first floor accommodated military
At the end of the fifteenth century, the fortress slowly began to transform into a residence with the apartments of dukes and duchesses through extension, elevation, the construction of terraces, hanging gardens, and decorative works both inside and outside, commissioned to the greatest artists of the time. In addition, the Este family’s collections also enriched the castle with paintings, tapestries, luxury items, illuminated manuscripts, coins, and weapons.

The House of Este left Ferrara in 1598 after the Duchy was incorporated into the Papal
From then on, the Este heritage became dispersed: today, works of art meant for the Estense Castle can be found in municipal museums in St. Petersburg, Paris, Washington D.C., London, Dresden, and Vienna.

Now, the castle museum, designed by architect Gae Aulenti, tells a story that allows you to learn more about the building, the history of different powers that have used it, the city of Ferrara and its territory, which has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Since January 2015, the south wing and “Camerini” of the Castle Museum held an exhibition of masterpieces from the Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Palazzo Massari, now being restored. L’arte per l’arte brought treasures that had been kept in storage since the earthquake back to the public, with aim of making the works available despite the closure of the site housing them.
The Lions Tower is accessible to visitors to admire the city of Ferrara from the top of the oldest tower of the Castle.

There's also an interesting activity for both tourists and citizens: the boat excursion in the moat of the Estense Castle that allows to admire the monument from a different point of view. It will be possible to enjoy a new perspective of the Castle, one of the few in Europe to mantain its original moat. In the past, from that point, the members of the Este Court could reach their dwellings in the countryside; and they also organized boat races around the Castle. Boat tours will start on Saturday, Sunday and during the holidays, every 30 minutes, from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 5 pm; their lenght will be more or less 15 minutes, and during the tour it will be possible to listen to an interesting description of the monument, both in Italian language and in English language.
The boarding area is at the gate in Piazza Savonarola. Tours will be cancelled in case of bad weather.