San Michele Castle

The Estense Castle is a square brick building with four defensive towers with turrets and surrounded by a moat filled with water, making it the only castle in Europe surrounded by a moat to date.

The Estense Castle, also called ‘San Michele Castle’, was built in 1385 and the foundation stone was laid on 29 September, the day dedicated to St Michael.
It was originally built as a military fortress, and the architect Bartolino da Novara's design included the annexation of the already existing Tower of the Lions to the Castle.

The Castle became the seat of executive power in 1476, the year in which Nicolò, son of Leonello and nephew of Ercole I, took advantage of his uncle's absence to invade Ferrara with a well-armed group. He seized the square under the banner of the "sail" against that of his uncle, the "diamond."

The Duchess Eleonora of Aragon, a vigorous supporter of her husband in governing the city during his long and frequent absences, fled with her children from the palace apartment to the safety of the Castle of San Michele. To do so, she crossed the bridge, which had recently been transformed into a solid, covered gallery, sheltered from prying eyes and the elements, and since then called the Via Coperta.
The people of Ferrara defended the city, and the invaders were executed. Nicolò himself met his fate three days later, when he was beheaded in the Tower of Santa Caterina.

The event was highly significant, as it undoubtedly played a decisive role in the Dukes' intention to permanently move their residence within the secure walls of the fortress.
From that moment, the fortress slowly began to transform into a residence fit to host the apartments of dukes and duchesses. This long and continuous work was initially entrusted to the court engineer Pietro Benvenuti degli Ordini, who expanded and reshaped entire wings of the Castle, constructing living quarters.

Despite the embellishments that Duke Borso had already made to the structure, it was under Ercole and Eleonora that many new decorations were added, both on the exterior and interior. More importantly, significant expansions and transformations were carried out along the axis connecting the old palace to the halls near the Tower of the Lions.

The goal was to transform the austere halls of the fortress into welcoming apartments and to create an area on the first floor (the Piano Nobile) that would be seamlessly connected to the palace, without interference from the ground floor—the Courtyard—dedicated exclusively to defensive functions.
The Via Coperta later became the Duke's apartment, extensively adorned on the exterior with frescoes, statues, and trompe-l'œil architectural elements.

The east wing was expanded, and a new loggia was built in the courtyard. It was perhaps at this moment that it became the Courtyard of Honor.
With the new Court Architect, Biagio Rossetti, in 1483, Ferrara and its architectural and urban landscape experienced a golden era. In just a few years, the city's walls were more than doubled, and numerous construction projects were launched, transforming large parts of the city.
The innovations also affected the Castle, which, under the new urban plan, found itself at the heart of the city.

The beautification works also focused on Eleonora's apartment, located around the Marchesana Tower towards the Tower of the Lions. It was in this part of the Castle that Rossetti initiated the construction of the Garden of the Oranges and the creation of the new Ducal Kitchens.
Upon Ercole's death in 1505, his son Alfonso I succeeded him and continued the renovation work on the castle-palace that had been initiated by his father, with the support of the court architect Biagio Rossetti.
In addition to renovating the duchess's apartment—once belonging to Eleonora—for his wives, Anna Sforza first and later Lucrezia Borgia, the Duke arranged for the restructuring of other wings and halls of the Castle. Among these additions were an Armory, with various spaces for storing weapons and ammunition—reflecting the Duke’s deep passion as an expert designer and cannon founder—as well as a Spice Room and a Goldsmith’s Workshop.

On the foundations of the destroyed Porta del Leone and the eastern Rivellino beneath the Garden of the Oranges, Alfonso completed the grand Ducal Kitchens. Following a modernization, a small yet precious residential quarter was created—a sequence of rooms known as the Camerini Dorati or Camerini d'Alabastro, located within the Via Coperta. This area became home to an extraordinary collection showcasing the artistic mastery of the time.
A true decorative program was undertaken, bringing together some of the greatest artists of the time—both from Ferrara and beyond. Among them were Titian, the Dossi brothers, Antonio Lombardi, Raphael, Giovanni Bellini, and others, whose contributions enriched the artistic heritage of the castle.
Ercole II, son of Alfonso I and Lucrezia Borgia, carried on the beautification of the Castle with refinement and sensitivity, further enhancing the legacy shaped by his father.

Ercole II paid special attention to areas of the building dedicated to a new high-ranking residential and representative function. This included the halls of the southern wing, particularly the Hall of Government and the apartment in the Tower of Santa Caterina. These spaces became the focus of a decorative cycle centered around the so-called Chamber of Patience, featuring outstanding works by Camillo Filippi and Girolamo da Carpi.

In 1554, a devastating fire damaged the upper structures of the Castle, affecting more than half of the building—from the Marchesana Tower to the Tower of the Lions and the Tower of Santa Caterina. The Duke and his court architect decided not only to restore the lost or damaged sections but also to make significant architectural enhancements. The exterior of the building was completely redesigned, transforming the appearance of the Castle into something much closer to what we see today.

In 1570, Ferrara was struck by a devastating earthquake, which led to significant reconstruction efforts. Alberto Schiatti oversaw the restoration, permanently altering the appearance of the Castle. Meanwhile, Alfonso II ascended to the ducal throne.
Both the fire and the earthquake left much to be restored within the noble floor apartments. The new master of the house, son of Ercole and Duchess Renata of France, immediately undertook a vast redecoration project, entrusting the work to the architect Pirro Ligorio.

The many halls, along with those on the newly added second floor—intended not for residence but primarily for the increasingly complex administrative management of the territory—were extensively renovated. Notable interventions took place in the Camerini Dorati and the Hall of Government.
During that period, several painters worked in the Castle, including Girolamo Bonaccioli, Ludovico Settevecchi, Leonardo da Brescia, and Sebastiano Filippi, known as "Il Bastianino." Their contributions added to the rich artistic heritage of the castle, shaping its visual identity for generations to come.

Works and sculptures were acquired for the Antiquarium, the apartments, Camerini, and Galleries were reorganized, the Apartment of the Mirror was frescoed, the Ducal Chapel was adorned, and the courtyard was decorated in Renaissance style. Today, the ancient residence houses some offices of the Province of Ferrara and serves as the exhibition venue for shows organized by Ermitage Italia.