Palace of Rivalta (Reggia di Rivalta)

The Este palace of Rivalta, often referred to as the Versailles of Reggio, still shows signs of its past grandeur despite destruction and decay. Its construction was initiated by the crown prince Francesco d’Este (future Francesco III) and his wife Carlotta Aglae d’Orleans. Having been banished from Modena by Duke Rinaldo I, they moved to Reggio, and, in search of a suitable holiday residence, they chose the two pre-existing villas of Rivalta and Rivaltella.

A tower was constructed at Rivalta in the early 15th century by the Canossa family, around which, in the late 16th century, a villa was built by the Alpi family. The villa then passed to Prince Borso d’Este, who had it enlarged and redecorated.

The 18th-century palace erected by Francesco d’Este from 1724 onwards was an extension of Borso’s villa: it consisted of three buildings arranged in a U-shape around a courtyard. Today, all that remains is the southern wing, once occupied by the prince’s retinue. Even of the sumptuous garden, only the layout and a few crumbling vestiges – the belvedere, the grottoes and the secret garden – now remain.