Palazzo Ducale

Ducal Palace of Modena was the seat of Estense Court between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Since the Unification of Italy, Palace hosts the prestigious Military Academy of Modena. Its construction was begun by Francesco I d'Este in 1634 and completed by Francesco V. The majestic facade, lightened by chromatic play of the marbles, has recently been restored. The central door leads to elegant Cortile d'Onore, home to military ceremonies, and to impressive Scalone d'Onore. In the central hall the ceiling is worthy of note, frescoed in the eighteenth century by Marco Antonio Franceschini with the coronation of Bradamante, progenitor of Este family, already celebrated by Ariosto in Orlando Furioso. Evocative evidence of the splendor of the eighteenth century is Salottino d'Oro, a cabinet of work of Duke Francesco III, who in 1756 had it covered and decorated with panels lined with pure gold. In front of the palace stands a statue dedicated to Risorgimento hero Ciro Menotti, while behind it are the main Public Gardens of Modena.