Castello Estense of Ferrara

Castello Estense of Ferrara, also known as Castello of San Michele, is located in the center of the city. The first stone for its construction was laid symbolically on September 29, 1385, the day dedicated to the Holy leader of the heavenly militias. Niccolò II d'Este commissioned the work to Bartolino da Novara, former architect of the Castle of San Giorgio in Mantua and the Visconti Castle in Pavia. The defensive function of the castle began to fail when Ercole I started the urban renewal works of Ferrara. The castle was enriched with precious works of art, making the city the first modern capital of Europe. During the Renaissance, under the duchy of Alfonso I D'Este, alabaster dressing rooms were built to house precious collections of Titian, Dosso Dossi and Antonio Lombardo. The construction of the Ducal Kitchens also dates to that time. It is said that the Este organized sumptuous parties animated by gastronomic sceneries. Today, you can still admire the Loggia degli Aranci under the roof garden, the Cappella Ducale, the Camerino dei Baccanali, the Salone dei Giochi, the Sala dell'Aurora. The richly frescoed rooms reproduce scenes from the daily life of the castle but also from the ancient classical tradition.