Tour of the Rocca 

The arms of Pope Clement VIII and are above the entrance in the outer wall, together with an inscription celebrating his annexation of Ferrara to the Papal State in 1598

The road leads up to the Porta del Bastione, with arms of Pope Nicholas V and others on the front and those of  Pope Alexander VI and Pope Julius II on the back.

The main part of the Rocca has a rectangular plan with towers at each corner and another two in the middle of the long sides. 

The Cortile d' Onore seen from the Cortile delle Armi

The two intermediate towers are connected by a structure that separates the rectangle into two interconnected courtyards:

• the Cortile delle Armi; and 

• the Cortile d' Onore. 

Cortile d' Onore

The Cortile d' Onore, at the heart of the residential part of the Rocca, has a two-storey loggia on three sides. 

• The rooms on the ground floor were mostly used for administrative purposes.

• Those on the upper floor provided the residential quarters for visiting popes and papal governors.

The hexagonal well at the centre sits above a huge cistern and is decorated with the arms of Pope Nicholas V. 

The steps in the corner lead up to the Salone d' Onore, the largest room in the complex, which was used for banquets and important ceremonies. 

From here, a door leads to the Camera Pinta inside the Torre Maestra (the tower in the picture above).

Return to the main page on the Rocca.