Piazza Ariostea
One of the best known and most important squares in Ferrara, Piazza Ariostea was built as part of the so-called Addizione Erculea, the city's third urban addition. Commissioned by Ercole I d'Este, lord of Ferrara at the time, the addition was to extend the boundaries of the ancient medieval city and at the same time bring it closer to the perfection of the ideal city.
This ambitious project, however, was never completed, mainly because the forecasts of the city's population growth on which it was based turned out to be unfounded. Nevertheless, the Addizione Erculea gave us the magnificent Palazzo dei Diamanti, as well as the crossroads of streets on which it stands which were to represent the cardo and decumanus of the new city.
The centre of Piazza Ariostea is adorned with a 16th-century column that was to host the equestrian monument to Hercules I, later replaced in 1833 with the statue of Ludovico Ariosto.
Ludovico Ariosto
Ludovico Ariosto (Reggio Emilia 1474 - Ferrara 1533) is particularly linked to the city of Ferrara. It was here that the young Ariosto lived between 1482 and 1497, and it is here that his tomb is still located, a work designed for him by Giovan Battista Aleotti and housed inside Palazzo Paradiso.
A poet and diplomat, a friend of Pietro Bembo, during his studies he dealt with humanistic subjects, and thanks to his father's frequentations he soon came into contact with the Estense court and the most fashionable literary circles of the time.
Regarding his private life, Ariosto took the widow of a merchant he met at court as his wife. The marriage was celebrated secretly, however, as the poet had in the meantime become a cleric.
Ariosto was not only the author of the
famous work Orlando Furioso, published in 1516 and immediately acclaimed by the Este court. During his life, he was also involved in numerous diplomatic expeditions and was also appointed governor of Garfagnana, a position that he said took too much time away from his literary commitments.
What to see in Piazza Ariostea
Strolling around Piazza Ariostea, one can observe
some beautiful palazzi that overlook the square. The 15th-century Palazzo Rondinelli, for example, is recognisable by its Renaissance portico surmounted by three white arches. The most striking feature of Palazzo Strozzi Bevilacqua, on the other hand, is the angular marble balcony, while Palazzo Massari is open to the public and can therefore be visited as it houses the Gallerie d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea.
The Ferrara Palio
Piazza Ariostea is the scene of an ancient and lively city tradition, the
Palio of Ferrara. Thanks to its rectangular shape and the lowered ring in the centre, the square is perfectly suited to host this event, which takes place every last Sunday in May.
May is actually a month of festivities for the people of Ferrara, who participate in
parades and competitions between the eight city districts (San Giorgio, San Giacomo, San Benedetto, Santa Maria in Vado, Santo Spirito, San Paolo, San Giovanni and San Luca).
Also interesting is the so-called 'putti' and 'putte' race, a competition involving boys and girls under 15 years of age, which ends with the awarding of the Palio banner dedicated to San Giorgio.
