Itinerary 5 - The landscape of the Delizie

Four imposing embattled towers, massive walls and huge windows make the castle a building that is halfway between a fortress and a Delizia. It was commissioned by Duke Alfonso II, the last descendant of the Este dynasty. It was once protected by nine miles of walls and surrounded by a wood for hunting.

The 15th-century villa was commissioned by Bartolomeo della Rovere and was visited by many illustrious figures. Court guests who used it as a residence included the Bishops of the Este Family.
(Not open for visits).

Originally a country house, the Delizia del Verginese was transformed into a ducal residence in the early 16th century by Alfonso I d’Este and gifted to Lady Laura Eustochia Dianti.

A splendid estate created after reclamation of Polesine di Casaglia by Borso d'Este. It was called Diamantina after one of the emblems of the house of Este, the diamond. (Not open for visits).

Commissioned by Niccolò d'Este, it was the first of the famous Delizie Estensi and remained the family’s most lavish and sumptuous summer residence. This oasis of beauty boasts dozens of rooms frescoed by some of the greatest artists of the time, along with magnificent and spacious gardens.

Designed by the court architect Pietro Benvenuto degli Ordini for Borso d'Este, it bears witness to the sober and refined elegance of Ferrara’s architecture during the Renaissance. (Not open for visits).

According to tradition, the palace was where Ugo, son of Marquis Niccolò III, and Parisina, the Marquis’ young wife, used to meet in secret before their love affair ended tragically. The palace was transformed into a Delizia by Borso d’Este shortly before he died. (Not open for visits)

A prestigious villa, one of the showpieces of Duke Borso, it was extended and decorated by one of Ferrara’s richest men, Bartolomeo Pendaglia.
(Not open for visits)

In the early 16th century, the nobleman Alessandro Feruffino, a magnificent and generous horseman, captain of the guards of Duke Alfonso I d’Este, built this complex that includes a noble residence, later called Palazzo Pio. (Not open for visits).