Estense Castle

Largo Castello, 1 | Ferrara

City of Ferrara's icon

Estense Castle is the most important monument of Ferrara, also known as Saint Micheal, built by Nicolò d'Este's willing in 1385. It is right in the city center. Initially, it was a defence and military fortification, but later it turned into Este's dwelling and ducal residence, after the "Herculean Addition".

Set up on four towers, it's surrounded by a huge ditch that, besides remembering its original function, seems isolating it by the urban context.

Now it's a permanent museum headquarters in which you can still admire the inside: the ducal apartments, the ancient prisons, the Lion's Tower, the Oranges's Garden, the ducal kitchens and appreciate artworks in honor of Prince's magnificence.

Ongoing exhibitions:

Ferrara's Dream - Adelchi Riccardo Mantovani until 9th October 2022
Realized by Fondazione Ferrara Arte and by Art Museums' Service of Ferrara's Municipality, in partnership with Mart, Trento and Rovereto's modern and contemprary Art Museum, the exhibition wants to let the audience know a fantastic, poetic and exciting world by this artist from Ferrara, recalling for the first time his whole careet with more than a hundred works.
Combining Italian Renaissance, De Chirico's metaphysics, Delvaux's surrealism and magical realism, the painter moves freely realizing works with a popular and religious subject and fascinating allegorical world between myth and fairy tale.

Find out more