Ferrare

Ferrare is a Italian city of the Province of Ferrare in Emilie-Romagna.

Located in the delta of the Po on the arm named Volano , the current city goes back to the 14th century, whereas it was controlled by the family of Este. Its historical center appears in the world heritage.

History

The origins of Ferrare are dubious; its name appears for the first time in a document of Aistulf, king of Lombards, going back to 754, like belonging to the Exarchat of Ravenne. In 984, it is the stronghold of Tedaldo, count of Modena and Canossa, nephew of the emperor Othon I {{er}}. Become independent and directed by the family of Adelardi, it was besieged and taken in 1101 by the Comtesse Mathilde.

In 1146, to died of the last of Adelardi, Guillaume, Ferrare passed like dowry of his/her niece Marchesella to Azzolino d' Este. After some hostilities to the family of Salinguerra, Azzo Novello was named podestat (first magistrate) with life in 1242 and in 1259 it made captive during a battle Ezzelino de Vérone. He succeeded its nephew Obizzo II (1264 - 1293) which was named by the Pope general captain and defender of the States of the Church.

Nicolas III (1393 - 1441) lodged in 1438 the Concile of the pope Eugene IV and his/her son Borso d' Este accepted the strongholds of Modena and Reggio of the emperor Frederic III of the Holy roman Empire, becoming duke in 1452, to be then made Duc of Ferrare in 1470 by the pope Paul II. Its successor Hercules I {{er}} (1471 - 1505) fought against Venice, war continued successfully by his son Alphonse I {{er}}, which married Lucrèce Borgia (girl of the pope Alexandre VI and sister of César Borgia). In 1509 it was excommunicated by the pope Jules II and in 1512 faced the pontifical army, fascinating possession of Ravenne. Thereafter, it succeeds in standardizing its relations with the the Holy See. His/her son Hercules II succeeded to him; this last, married with Renee girl of Louis XII of France, reigned of 1534 with 1559. His/her son Alphonse II, married with Barbara, sister of the emperor Maximilien II of the Holy roman Empire carried Ferrare to the apogee of his splendor. But it did not have any male descendant and in 1597 Ferrare was declared stronghold vacant by the pope Clément VIII.

By the Devolution of 1598, the city and its territory, given up by the Este pass under the political and administrative control direct of the Holy See, then under the control of the Austria between 1832 and 1859, for then belonging to the Royaume of Sardinia.

The city

The most important monument is the castle of Este , also called castle of Saint Michel , a brick building in square plan equipped with four defensive towers, located in full center town. It was built starting from 1385 and partially restored starting from 1554. Close to the castle, one can see the arcispedale Holy-Anne , where was relegated Torquato Tasso in 1579 - 1586.

The Palazzo del Municipio (town hall), rebuilt during the 18th century, was the first residence of the family of Este. Close to this one the cathedral Saint-Georges is, built by Guglielmo degli Adelardi (death in 1146) and devoted in 1135 when the principal frontage and the Romance side walls were completed.
Les arcades of the upper part of the frontage is 13th century and the interior was restored in the style baroque starting from 1712. The bell-tower, of Renaissance style was carried out in 1451 - 1493 and was completed at the end of the 16th century.

Vis-a-vis the cathedral is the Palazzo della Ragione (palate of the Reason), built out of bricks in the Gothic style in 1315 - 1326. Very close the current seat of the Université is, while its old seat, the Palazzo Paradiso (1391), shelters today the Biblioteca Civica Ariostea in which is the most complete collection of the editions of the Orlando Furioso and some letters of the Tasse as well as the Bible which belonged to the Dominican brother Girolamo Savonarole.

The house of Arioste was built by the writer starting from 1526; it died there in 1532. Ferrare is since the 13th century an important Hebraic center and, during the years which followed the racial Lois enacted in 1938 by the fascistic government, it became the theater of persecutions and a massacre recalled by the writer Giorgio Bassani (Bologna, 1916 - Rome, 2000) in Gli Occhiali of oro (gold Glasses, 1958), carried with the screen in 1987 by Giuliano Montaldo, and in the Garden of Finzi-Contini (1962), carried with the screen in 1970 by Vittorio de Sica, and in Una Notte LED '43 (1956).
Siège of a university since 1391, it lives as students at the 16th century Nicolas Copernic (1503) and Paracelse. Important humanistic center, it accepted at the court of Este the largest Italian poets of the Quattrocento and the Cinquecento, Matteo Maria Boiardo, Ludovico Ariosto (Reggio-Emilia - Ferrare) and Torquato Tasso, as well as the great painters of the time, Andrea Mantegna, Giovanni Bellini, Cosmè Tura (1432 - 1495), Francesco del Cossa (death in 1480) and Ercole dei Roberti (death in 1496) (famous the Officina ferrarese ), Garofalo, Tiziano , Dosso Dossi and Battista Dossi, Scarsellino. Many works of these artists are today with the national Pinacothèque - sheltered in the Palazzo dei Diamanti -. It is the city where were born the Dominican brother Girolamo Savonarole (Ferrare, 1452 - Florence, 1498) and the type-setter Girolamo Frescobaldi (Ferrare, 1583 - Rome 1643).

The city is proud of its important municipal collection of works of the local painters Giovanni Boldini (Ferrare, 1842 - Paris, 1931) and Filippo de Pisis (Ferrare 1986 - Milan, 1956) and a confirmed tradition of international exposures of art of very high level organized in the Palazzo dei Diamanti , chief of work architectural of the 15th century due to Biagio Rossetti. Appreciated city of the Italian and foreign directors, it was used as decoration, inter alia films, with the Garden of Finzi-Contini (Vittorio De Sica, 1970), Beyond the clouds (Michelangelo Antonioni - Wim Wenders 1995), Soldiering (Ermanno Olmi, 2001). The seasons of dance, in concerts of classical music, theater and lyric art produced in the Teatro Comunale of the 18th century are important there. It is there too that oldest Palio of Italy known as of San Giorgio) is held (last Sunday of May). Other demonstrations: 1000 automobile Miles (in May), Ferrara Buskers' Festival , (last week of August), Premio Letterario Estense (at the end of September).

The city is today an important university center, a hospital pole and one of the cities of minor art most visited in Italy. Its wall enclosure of the Rebirth, of more than nine kilometers length, can be entirely traversed with foot or bicycle.

Administration

Hamlets

Aguscello, Albarea, Baura, Boara, Borgo Scoline, Bova, Casaglia, Cassana, Trivellino Manor house, Chiesuol del Fosso, Cocomaro di Cona, Cocomaro di Focomorto, Codrea, Cona, Contrapò, Corlo, Correggio, Denore, Focomorto, Francolino, Gaibana, Gaibanella Sant' Egidio, Malborghetto di Boara, Malborghetto di Correggio, Marrara, Mezzavia, Monestirolo, Montalbano, Parasacco, Pescara, Pontegradella, Pontelagoscuro, Travagli Big shot, Porotto, Porporana, Quartesana, Plaster, Sabbioni, San Bartolomeo in Bosco, San Martino, Spinazzino, Torre della Fossa, Uccellino, Viconovo, Villanova

Communes bordering

Silver plated, Baricella (BO), Bondeno, Canaro (RO), Copparo, Ficarolo (RO), Formignana, Gaiba (RO), Masi Torello, Occhiobello (RO), Ostellato, Poggio Renatico, Ro, Stienta (RO), Tresigallo, Vigarano Mainarda, Voghiera

Personalities born in Ferrare

Italo Balbo (June 6th, 1896 - Tobrouk, June 28th, 1940) is a politician, soldier and Italian aviator. he was Minister for aeronautics and governor of Libya.
Diego Marani (1959 -….), writer and journalist

Twinnings

Homonym

Ferare Meditation thirtieth of Alphonse of Lamartine

See too

List of the Italian cities of more than 25.000 inhabitants

Simple: Ferrara

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