Remains of the Castel Nuovo (Resti del Castel Nuovo)

Castel Nuovo, built at the behest of Nicolò III d’Este between 1427 and 1435, was one of the most striking examples of urban architecture built by the princes of Ferrara at the dawn of the Renaissance. Built under the direction of the engineer-architect Giovanni da Siena astride the southern walls, overlooking the river that then flowed close to the defensive perimeter, it became the fulcrum of a grandiose entrance scenography, capable of impressing visitors arriving at the ports of the Este capital. It was the third and last urban fortress in Ferrara, joining Castel Tedaldo (XI-XII century) and the Castle of San Michele (1385), but, unlike these others, built to meet eminently military needs, Castel Nuovo was designed by combining fortification requirements and modern residential needs. The result was an architecture with a surprising and unusual appearance: a castle-palace with large mullioned windows and airy loggias that for the first time opened onto views of the surrounding landscape.

The story of Castel Nuovo came to an end in the second half of the 16th century when the last duke of Ferrara, Alfonso II d’Este, planned its demolition, replacing the late medieval fortifications with an updated “modern-style” bastioned front. However, the demolition work did not go so far as to erase all traces of Nicolò III’s splendid castle, and following a campaign of archaeological excavations carried out in the mid-1970s, the remains of the 15th-century structure re-emerged. In all probability, this is the access body to the castle located near the Sant’Agnese gate and today incorporated into a private building that can be visited by entering at 11/A Via Spronello.