Ferrara

Palace of Don Giulio d’Este (Palazzo di Don Giulio d’Este)

Edited by

Maria Teresa Sambin

Houses and Palaces

Other denominations

Palazzo di Giulio d'Este / Palazzo Giulio d'Este - Tassoni (Prefettura) / Palazzo Pio

Founders

Ercole I, Giulio d'Este

Description

The complex that belonged to Giulio d’Este – natural son of Duke Ercole I and Isabella Arduini – is today the result of over four centuries of transformations. The building was constructed for Don Giulio between around 1500 and 1504 on commission from his father, who wanted to give him a large building within the newly urbanised Addizione. In 1501, at least one part had already been built and Pietro Antonio da Modena was paid for the terracotta friezes that framed two of the doors. The masonry works were entrusted to Antenore da Bondeno. In 1504, the mason Malavolta was paid for plastering the interior, installing fireplaces and laying floors. It is known that the annexes of the building reached as far back as Via Borgo Leoni and that the surrounding wall was crenellated.

Zevi, following Padovani’s lead, attributes the building to Biagio Rossetti, but there is no evidence to support this hypothesis. The building, in what has been assumed to be its original form, is fully part of the Ferrara tradition, without the need to call Biagio into question, whose presence is not attested by the documents.

Useful information

Address

corso Ercole I d'Este, 16

Municipality

FERRARA

Province

Ferrara

Visitability of the place

Visitable only externally

Themes

Ornamental terracotta (frames, windows, capital,...)

Website

http://www.fedetails.net/2013/07/il-palazzo-giulio-deste.html

Tourer

https://www.tourer.it/mappa?id=1023

Included in the itineraries