After out time in Siena, we travelled by train to the town of Ferrara in the province of Emilia-Romagna where we spend the next 4 days.
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Overgrown Gate, Via Darsena, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Mazzanto e C, Via Bologna, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Scultura di Mario Piva, Junction of Via Bologna & Via John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
The Porta Paola, Via Donatori di Sangue, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Built in 1612, Porta Paola is the largest monumental arch and passageway in the city today, greatly enhanced by its imminent new use as a Documentation Centre for the City Walls.
Wall, Via Donatori di Sangue, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Fondaco del Mercanti Medioevali, Via Delle Volte, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Fondaco del Mercanti Medioevali – Medieval Merchants’ Warehouse
Is It Art, 62 Corso Porta Reno, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Arched Passageway, Piazetta Alberto Schiatti, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Torre dellÓrologio & Porto Reno, Corso Porta Reno, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagno, Italy
Via del Podestà, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Cattedrale di Ferrara di San Giorgio Martire, Piazza della Cattedrale, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
The cathedral was begun in 1135 and dedicated to St. George. The main altar was consecrated on 8 May 1177, and this confirms that 42 years after the laying of the first stone the eastern part was almost complete.
Torre dell’Orologio, Piazza Trento-Trieste, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
The Clock Tower was built in the second half of the 16th century, when the Bell of Reason was placed. In 1603 a structural restoration of the Tower was necessary and the task was given to the architect Gian Battista Aleotti. In 1864 the Clock with the luminous dial was added. The Clock Tower is also called Torre Aleotti.
Torre della Vittoria, Piazza della Cattedrale, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
As part of the action aimed at recovering and enhancing the city’s building heritage, begun in the early 1920s, in Ferrara, which began with the restoration of two public buildings that are emblems of the city, namely the Castello Estense and the Palazzo Municipale, radical work was carried out on the latter’s façade, the one facing the Duomo. In particular, a new Tower of Victory was erected to replace the original one, designed by Rigobello, which had collapsed during the seventeenth century, in 1570, at the beginning of the seismic swarm that struck the city until 1574.
Built on a 14th-century model, in Gothic style and with materials reminiscent of the Este Castle, it is 57 m high and the top is crenellated, like the reconstructed façade of the Town Hall.
Stone Lion, Cattedrale di Ferrara, Piazza della Cattedrale, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Equestrian Statue of Nicolo lll, Corso Porto Rena, Piazza della Cattedrale, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Girolamo Savonarola, Piazza Savonarola, Corso Martiri della Libertà, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Plaque Reads:-
GIROLAMO SAVONAROLA IN CORRUPT AND SERVILE TIMES OF VICES AND TYRANTS FLAGELLATORE
Girolamo Savonarola (1452-1498) was born into a noble family in Ferrara, his father being a doctor. Girolamo was educated by another relative who was also a doctor and a man of rigid religious principles. So it was inevitable that the young lad would be directed towards medicine at university and devout Christianity at home.
Already repelled by the corruption that he saw around him, Savonarola left his medical studies and withdrew into solitude, meditation and prayer. He told his father that he could not suffer the blind wickedness of the peoples of Italy. He found unbearable the humanistic paganism that corrupted art, poetry and religion itself. But even if that was so, how did young Savonarola know that the cause of this spreading corruption was a vicious clergy, even in the highest levels of the church hierarchy?
In 1475 as an adult he chose to enter a Dominican monastery at Bologna. After living quietly there for 6 years, Savonarola moved to the convent of S Marco in Florence and began preaching in the church of S Lorenzo. His style, too medieval and scholastic, failed to attract the crowds. But in 1486, while preaching in Lombardy, he began to speak directly and passionately of the wrath of God. His popularity as a preacher grew immensely.
Savonarola’s fame spread to Florence as he prophesied the doom of all tyrants who then prevailed in the world. In 1490, through the influence of Pico della Mirandola, he moved back to Florence and in July 1491 became prior of S Marco. His target evils in beautiful Florence were the vanity of the humanists and the viciousness of the clergy. Needless to say Lorenzo de’ Medici, the ruler of Florence, was not happy with the fanatical preacher. But Savonarola would not desist, and in April 1492 Savonarola made his move – he refused to grant Lorenzo absolution because the ruler would not give liberty to the Florentines.
Cobble Stones, Piazzetta del Castello, Castello Estense, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Colubrina detta _La Regina, Piazzatta del Castello, Castello Estense, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
“The Queen” is a faithful, life-size copy of the ancient culverin, weighing over seven tons, made in 1556 by Annibale Borgognoni for the lord of Ferrara, Duke Ercole II d’Este, exhibited in the Piazza Castello in Ferrara.
Castello Estense di Ferrara, Piazzatta del Castello, Castello Estense, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
The Estense Castle was built in 1385, as a fortress for political and territorial military control and for the defense of the Este family, therefore also thought of as a repressive tool against possible revolts. The first stone was laid symbolically on September 29, the day of St. Michael, warrior archangel at the head of the celestial militias.
See history at Wikipedia:
Enclosed Window, Castello Estense, Piazzetta del Castello, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Moat, Castello Estense di Ferrara, Piazzatta del Castello, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Entrance Gates, Castello Estense di Ferrara, Piazzatta del Castello, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Torch Holder in Entrance, Castello Estense di Ferrara, Piazzatta del Castello, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Units of Measurement Plaque, Estense Castle, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagno, Italy
After what was at the time the drawbridge and before entering the inner courtyard of the castle, on the left there is a bas-relief with 4 horizontal iron lines.
Each of those strips represented a unit of measurement used in the city. At the time there were no portable meters, much less laser measurements, so the citizens, to measure something, could go inside the castle and were sure not to be wrong even a centimetre.
The measurements referred to the feet and arms, and these words on the slab are still visible.
Memorial Plaque, Piazza Savonarola, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Monumento a Ludovico Ariosto, Piazza Ariostea, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
8 September 1474 – 6 July 1533) was an Italian poet. He is best known as the author of the romance epic Orlando Furioso (1516). -[never heard of either…:) ]
Discarded Apple, Piazza Trento – Trieste, Ferrara , Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Order of Architects P.P.C. of the Province of Ferrara, Corso Isonzo, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Drogheria Bazzi & C. – Taverna con Bottega, Piazza del Municipio, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
We enjoyed a couple of evening meals here!
Weathered Memorial, Campo de la Pescaria, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Work Barge, Grand Canal, Riva del Ferro, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Across Ponte de le Tette to Sotoportego E Corte de Ca' Bollani, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Campanile di Santo Stefano, Piscina San Moise, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Founded in the 13th century, rebuilt in the 14th century and altered again early in the 15th century.
Venice has at least 3 leaning bell towers, San Giorgi dei Greci, San Pietro di Castello & Santo Stefanco. There is also a dominate one of the island of Burano.
Canalside Steps, Campo Manin, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Chiesa di San Giacomo di Rialto, Campo San Giacomo di Rialto, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Chiesa di San Giacomo di Rialto is considered to be the oldest church in Venice, consecrated on March 25, 421.
Chiesa Parrocchiale dei Santi Apostoli Tower, Campo Santi Apostoli, Venice, Veneto, Italy
The church dates to the 7th century and is one of the oldest in Venice.
Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Salvador, Marzaria del Capitello, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Door, 541C Campo de la Pescaria, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Exquisite Wood Carving, Shopfront, Marzaria San Salvador, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Fondamenta de le Prigioni, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Garden Gateway, 2329 Calle de la Regina, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Grand Canal, Ponte di la becarie, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Markets Area, Riva de l'Ogio, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Mercato del Pesce al Minuto, Campo Beccarie, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Mercato del Pesce al Minuto = Retail Fish Market
Monument to the Fallen of the Parish in WWI, Chiesa di San Cassiano, Campo San Cassian, Venice, Veneto, Italy See a much more detailed image HERE!
Old Water Pump, Corte Tron, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Old Wooden Doors, Naranzaria, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Ponte dei Sospiri, (Bridge of Sighs) Rio del Palazzo, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Named for sighs of prisoners crossing it en route from the Palazzo Ducale to prison.
Barred Window, Marzaria del Capitello, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Ponte Rialto & Grand Canal, Riva del Vin, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Residential, Calle Ca' Bragadin al Cristo, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Rio delle Becarie, Fondamenta de le Prigioni, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Rusted Water Fountain, Sotoportego del Pin la Scrimia, Calle del Campaniel, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Shrine, Calle de la Regina, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Sotoportego de le Acque, Venice, Veneto, Italy
View Across Ponte Rialto, Salizzada Pio X, Venice, Veneto, Italy
The tower in the background is part of Chiesa di San Giacomo di Rialto. considered to be the oldest church in Venice, consecrated on March 25, 421.
Vaporetto, Grand Canal, Ponte Rialto, Venice, Veneto, Italy
