Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Astride a pair of handsome lions at the base of the front facade squats an oddly secular
duo, mouths agape at the effort of holding up the pillars situated on either side of the main
doorway.
artefacts from the cathedral, including a serene Madonna by Jacopo della Quercia, a
couple of vigorous Cosimo Tura canvases, and some witty bas-reliefs illustrating the
months of the year.
Palazzo dei Diamanti
(Corso Ercole I d'Este 21)
Named after the spiky diamond-shaped ashlar stones on its facade,
the 'diamond palace' was built for Sigismondo d'Este late in the 15th century.
The mystery behind the history of Italian art can be partially uncovered in the
Pinacoteca
Tue-Sun, to 7pm Thu)
, housed in the palace. Here you can contemplate the erstwhile genius
of the so-called 16th- to 17th-century 'Ferrara school', spearheaded by artists better
known by their odd nicknames, such as Guercino (the squinter) and El Maestro degli Oc-
chi Spalancati (master of the wide-open eyes). Free guides enhance the experience.
PALACE, MUSEUM
Museo del Risorgimento
e della Resistenza
(Corso Ercole I d'Este 19; adult/reduced €4/2; 9am-1pm & 3-6pm Tue-Sun)
Next door to Pin-
acoteca Nazionale, this small museum exhibits documents, proclamations and posters
from the Italian unification movement and WWII, as well as numerous uniforms, guns
and hand grenades.
MUSEUM
Casa Romei
(Via Savonarola 30; adult/reduced €3/1.50; 8.30am-7.30pm Tue-Sun)
This palace was once owned
by Giovanni Romei, a top administrator to the Este clan - and his importance shows in the
architecture. The austere brick exterior hides a peaceful inner patio (once part of an adja-
cent monastery). On the 1st floor is a 16th-century apartment preserved in its original
state. There's plenty more art and frescoes dotted around.
PALACE, MUSEUM
