Ferrara

Ferrara, city, northern Italy, capital of Ferrara Province, in Emilia-Romagna Region, on the Po River. Surrounded by broad tracts of fertile land, much of which has been reclaimed from marshes, Ferrara is an agricultural marketing center with many food-processing establishments. Other manufactures include chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and machinery.

During the Renaissance Ferrara was the capital of the dukes of Este, whose court was a brilliant center of learning, literature, and the arts. The University of Ferrara was founded by Alberto V d'Este in 1391; in its library are manuscripts by the poets Ludovico Ariosto and Torquato Tasso, both of whom enjoyed Este patronage. Paintings by artists of the Ferrara school, which flourished in the 15th and 16th centuries, hang in the Renaissance building called the Palazzo dei Diamanti (Italian, “diamond palace”). The Este castle, begun in 1385, is an example of classic medieval military architecture.

The Este family became rulers of Ferrara in 1208 and ruled until 1598, when, for lack of a male heir in the direct line of descent, the city was claimed by the pope and joined to the Papal States. In 1861 it became part of the kingdom of Italy. Bombing in World War II caused considerable damage. Population (2007 estimate) 133,214.