This was a good place to spend time on a cold December afternoon. There is not a lot inside apart from ceiling decorations. There are lots of paper repair points on the frescoes as a result of the earthquakes of 2012 apparently. This makes it difficult to find a good angle to take photos.I agree the dungeons are a good part of the visit.
Castello Estense is yet another castle that follows the pattern of many similar Italian constructions - it was sold to the state without any objects inside and is now available for visiting, but the only thing you can see is the construction and the empty walls inside, thus it's only interesting for those, who don't look for much history and the interiors looking like in the times when they were used. What I found the most interesting there, were the dungeons, which were much bigger than in the castles I've seen before, thus if you decide to visit, make sure you look into every corner of this part of the castle.
I'm always fascinated by castles. They have so much architectural and historical intrigue. The Este Castle did not disappoint. It was great to learn about the scandals and granduer of the Este family and see where it all went down. I hadn't realized that the infamous Lucrezia Borgia was the Duchess of Ferrara later in life and lived in this very castle. Great frescos and ceilings add to the interest of the tour. If you are in Ferrara, it's a must. If you're thinking about going to Ferrara for a day trip from Bologna or Venice, it's a good reason to go.
Big & massive, built in red brick with 4 towers at the 4 corners & a moat around it.In my opinion the outside is the best part of this castle.Inside- besides the ceilings there is very little to admire.No wonder that some reviewers came to the conclusion that the most interesting rooms were the dungeons...A waste of money & time.
The castle is good, I recommend a guided tour so that you can learn a lot of local history.Unfortunately all the wall paintings are not present any longer and the recent earthquake created several damages
This castle in the middle of the city epitomizes the power of the old Este family. It is well preserved and the visit takes a couple of hours. There are a few interesting rooms with nice paintings on the ceilings. Do not miss the visit of the jails in the lower part of the castle...a gruesome reminder of how prisoners were treated in those times ! We visited the castle at sunset which gives it a particular athmosphere as the city around begins to darken.
The dungeons gave me the shivers but in the very best way! After visiting this castle, along with the Gonzaga fortress in Mantova and the Della Scala fortress in Verona, you gain a nice sense of the military and residential natures of these Northern Italian fortresses
Cannot say to have been there, if you haven't seen the castle.A nice guided tour is recommended. Enjoy!
The Este family had such an impact on the area and Italy that it really is worth visiting the castle and reading the exhibits about how they achieved this. So interesting.
Well set out descriptions in English too. Worth a visit very extensive.Undergoing some restoration on our visit but we still enjoyed the experience.