Palazzo Municipale of Ferrara

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Palazzo Municipale of Ferrara, also called Palazzo Ducale Estense, is Ferrara’s town hall. It is located in Piazza del Municipio 2 and serves as the seat of the Municipality of Ferrara. The building shows Renaissance and Gothic styles and was once the Este family’s ducal residence until the court moved to Castello Estense in the 16th century.

Location and overview
- The palace stands in the city’s historic center and is today used by Ferrara’s city government.
- It is sometimes referred to as the Ducal Estense Palace.

History in brief
- The building’s core was begun in 1245 along Via Cortevecchia and took its final form between 1472 and 1481.
- The main entrance faces the Cathedral of San Giorgio and is near the famous Volto del Cavallo statue group, which includes riders of Niccolò III d’Este and Borso d’Este.
- The equestrian statue of Niccolò III was installed in 1451 on a pedestal inspired by Roman arches. It was created by Florentine sculptors and others; the base design was by the architect Leon Battista Alberti.
- The Borso statue, completed by 1453, was moved to a new position in 1472. It was later destroyed in 1796 for bronze to make cannons, and bronze copies were made in 1927.
- The palace’s exterior and decorations have changed many times over the centuries, including coats of arms added in 1456.

twentieth-century renovation
- Between 1924 and 1928, the façade facing St. George’s Cathedral is rebuilt in a neo-medieval style. The rest of the street-facing wing along Corso Martiri della Libertà was already remodeled in 1738.
- The main facade work was completed in 1928 by engineer Carlo Savonuzzi, with leadership from Renzo Ravenna and Italo Balbo.
- The interior and exterior decorations from the 1920s include new wall artwork by Giulio Medini, who reproduced and integrated older fresco traces.

Other features
- On the north side, the Via Coperta connects the palace with Castello Estense, and the Alabaster Chambers nearby were created under Este patronage.
- The palace houses important art and architectural elements that reflect Ferrara’s Renaissance past.

Current status
- The Palazzo Municipale remains in use as Ferrara’s city hall and is a visible symbol of the town’s governance and history.
- Coordinates: 44.8361° N, 11.619153° E.

See also
- Torre della Vittoria

External context
- The building is part of Ferrara’s rich Renaissance and late medieval heritage, showcasing the city’s transition from ducal residence to a modern municipal seat.