Although it certainly has a thriving tourism industry, Ferrara is not on the typical foreign tourist's itinerary, which makes it perfect for those tourists who want to get off the beaten path of Venice-Florence-Rome and soak in some authentic northern Italian culture. It's characterized by twisting medieval cobblestoned streets, a Duomo (cathedral) with a looming Gothic facade, and--best of all--a castle straight out of storybooks, complete with towers, moat, and drawbridges (that you can cross during the day).
Thanks to the d'Este family of astute art patrons, Ferrara contains many beautiful objects de arte, but the genuine masterpiece is the city itself. Half medieval, half Renaissance, the dual cityscape was the vision of oligarch Ercole d'Este, who hired architect Biagio Rossetti to seamlessly meld the newer section to the old. This careful planning earned Ferrara the title of Italy's first "modern city." Today, its captivating, anachronistic ambience is best explored on foot or by bicycle.
PLACE TO VISIT
The medieval walls - The town is still surrounded by more than 9 kilometres of ancient walls, mainly built in the 15th and 16th centuries[4] Together with those of Lucca, they are the best preserved Renaissance walls in Italy.
Castello Estense - sited in the very centre of the town, it's a brick building surrounded by a moat, with four massive bastions. It was built starting in 1385 and partly restored in 1554; the pavilions on the top of the towers date from the latter year.
Cathedral of Saint George - The sculpture of the main portal is the signed work of the "artifex" Nicholaus, mentioned in the lost inscription as the "architect" for the church. The upper part of the main façade, with arcades of pointed arches, dates from the 13th century, while the lower part of the protiro or projecting porch and the main portal are by Nicholaus. The recumbent lions guarding the entrance are replacements of the originals, now in the narthex of the church.
Castle Estense - is a moated medieval structure in the center of Ferrara, northern Italy. It is a large block with four corner towers.On the outside, the castle essentially presents the appearance given to it by Girolamo da Carpi in the second half of the 16th century. Surrounded by a moat, it has three entrances with drawbridges fronted by brickwork ravelins. The fourth entrance, to the east, was sacrificed to make room for the kitchens.
Ferrara Cathedral - is a basilica in Ferrara, Northern Italy, the largest religious edifice in the city. It is dedicated to Saint George, the patron saint of Ferrara. It is located in the city centre, not far from the Palazzo Comunale and the famous Castello Estense and is connected to the Archbishop's Palace by a covered passage.
Palazzo dei Diamanti - is a palace in Ferrara, northern Italy. It is one of the most famous palaces in Italy, as well one of the most influential examples of Renaissance European architecture. Designed by Biagio Rossetti, it was built starting from 1493 by order of Sigismondo d'Este, brother of Duke Ercole I, in 1492. The most striking feature is the bugnato of the exterior walls: it consists of some 8,500 white (with pink veins) marble blocks carved to represent diamonds, whence the common name.
The University of Ferrara Botanic Garden - is a 4,500 suare meters botanical garden operated by the University of Ferrara. It is located at Corso Porta Mare, 2b, I-44100 Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and open weekday mornings. Admission is free. The university's garden was originally established in 1771 at a location on the via Paradiso, but in 1963 moved to its present location. It currently contains about 1300 species in its greenhouse (243 m²), and some 700 species outdoors, arranged into four major sections.
Palazzo Schifanoia - is a Renaissance palace in Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna (Italy) built for the Este family. The name "Schifanoia" is thought to originate from "schivar la noia" meaning literally to "escape from boredom" which describes accurately the original intention of the palazzo and the other villas in close proximity where the Este court relaxed. The highlights of its decorations are the allegorical frescoes with details in tempera by or after Francesco del Cossa and Cosmè Tura, executed ca 1469–70, a unique survival of their time.
The Casa Romei - is the best preserved Reinassance building in Ferrara. It was the residence of Giovanni Romei, related to Este family by marriage to Polissena d'Este and likely the work of the court architect Pietro Bono Brasavola. It did not fall into decay because it was inherited by the nuns of the Corpus Domini order who lived there without making any changes to its structure. Much of the decoration in the inner rooms has been saved.
The Palazzo Schifanoia - was built in 1385 for Alberto V d'Este. The palazzo includes frescoes depicting the life of Borso d'Este, the signs of the zodiac and allegorical representations of the months. The vestibule was decorated with stucco mouldings by Domenico di Paris. The building also contains fine choir-books with miniatures and a collection of coins and Renaissance medals.
The City Historical Archives - contain a relevant amount of historical documents, starting from 15th century. The Diocesan Historical Archive is more ancient, mentioned in documents in A.D. 955, and contains precious documents collected across the centuries by the clergy.
Ferrara Synagogue - The synagogue is the sole surviving synagogue is the only surviving representative of the several synaggoues that once flourished in Ferrara. It is located in the historic Jewish community building of 1421 at 95 via Mazzini, which once housed two other synagogues, destroyed by fascists during WWII. Other synagogues were once located nearby. The building also houses a Jewish museum.
HOW TO REACH
By train - The easiest option. Ferrara is on the line that runs from Florence to Bologna to Venice, and thus makes an easy day trip on your travels to the more heavily touristy sites.
