Massari Palace (Palazzo Massari)

This monumental building was constructed in 1591 by Onofrio Bevilacqua, who belonged to one of the most illustrious families in the Duchy of Ferrara. The last member of the family who lived there, Camillo Bevilacqua Cantelli, had it restored and enlarged with the construction of the staircase and the white building. After his death, the palace housed the general headquarters of the Order of Malta between 1824 and 1836 and was then purchased by the Massari family, who transformed the large garden into an English-style park. It finally passed to the municipality of Ferrara, and now houses the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. It is currently closed for restorations following the 2012 earthquake.

The elegant façade, perhaps designed by Alberto Schiatti or one of his pupils, is characterised by the superimposition of the Ionic and Corinthian order. On the main floor there is a large hall with five windows and four rooms in a row, partly renovated and redecorated during the 18th century.