Estense Castle
One of the most famous symbols of Ferrara, the imposing Castello Estense is located in the heart of the city, just a few steps from the Cathedral of San Giorgio.
A defensive site transformed into the residence of the Este family
Originally, the Castello Estense was built for
defensive purposes. It was 1385 and Ferrara was gripped by a violent popular uprising, which led Niccolò II, a member of the Este seigniory, to build a large castle surrounded by a moat in which the family could take refuge in the event of further uprisings. The castle was onnected to the adjacent Ducal Palace by a suspended passageway, which speeded up escape in case of need.
Testifying to the defensive nature of the manor are the
four corner towers erected to protect the various sides of the structure, the Marchesana, the Torre di San Paolo, the Torre di Santa Caterina and the Torre dei Leoni. The latter is characterised by a
bas-relief depicting two lions, hence the name, and also bears the inscription 'Wor Bas', meaning 'always ahead' in the Lombard language.
Once the era of revolts was over, the
Lord of Ferrara Ercole I proceeded to transform the castle into his
family residence, embellishing it with various marble decorations and fresco cycles by great painters such as Piero Della Francesca, Bastianino and probably also Dosso Dossi.
Another marvel of the Estense Castle is the
Orange Garden, designed by architect Girolamo da Carpi and built in 1554 for the exclusive use of the ladies of the court.
The courtyard of honour was also built at the behest of Hercules I. What we see today is a 15th-century structure characterised by an 8-arched loggia overlooked by various rooms. The 16th-century kitchens are certainly worthy of note.
The tragic story of Ugo and Parisina
The
prisons are among the most mysterious rooms in the castle, the place where the bloody events of Ugo and Parisina took place, whose souls seem to still roam within its walls.
The young
Laura Malatesta da Rimini, la Parisina, was taken as his wife by Niccolò III d'Este lord of Ferrara, in a second marriage. Much older than her, Niccolò was not known for his faithfulness: his mistresses were many, and by them he also had some illegitimate children.
One of these was Stella de' Tolomei, who, when Niccolò III took Parisina as his wife, saw her chance of becoming a duchess and giving her three children the title of legitimate heirs fade away. Stella's own sons began to harbour a grudge against the young girl, especially her eldest son
Ugo.
To try to calm their tempers, Parisina offered Ugo a harp as a gift, given the boy's passion for music. So Niccolò, pleased to see an attempt at rapprochement between them, proposed to Ugo to go with his wife to Loreto for a pilgrimage.
During the trip,
Ugo and Parisina fell in love and once back in Ferrara they were soon discovered. Enraged, Niccolò had them first imprisoned in the dungeons of the Estense Castle and later executed. Since then, the story of Ugo and Parisina has resounded within the walls of the palace, so much so that it even inspired Lord Byron, who dedicated a poem entitled 'Parisina' to the unfortunate couple.
