Church of Saint Stephen (Chiesa di Santo Stefano)

Santo Stefano is one of the oldest churches in Ferrara, donated in 1083 to the chapter of the cathedral, to which it belonged until the 17th century. Rebuilt several times, it suffered extensive damage following the earthquake of 1570 and during the bombings of 1944.

The “most Estensian” element of the complex is the stone portal, originating from the church of San Silvestro, part of an ancient complex of nuns Benedictines, rebuilt (exactly to what extent is unknown) in 1497 by Biagio Rossetti, at the behest of Ercole I and demolished as early as 1512, during the fortification works carried out by his successor Alfonso I. It is known that Gabriele Frisoni of Mantua, one of the stone masons who most often accompanied Biagio, was involved in the Rossetti work at San Silvestro. The portal, excluding the crowning pediment, which is a later addition, consists of a simple trilithon: an architrave supported by two pilasters on a pedestal, with Corinthian capitals, featuring mouldings inspired by ancient designs.