Delizia Estense of Copparo

The ancient Delizia was built between 1540 and 1547 duning Ercole II d'Este's reign over the ruins of another castle that was used as hunting lodge, destroyed by the Venetians at the beginning of the 16th century.

The project was assigned to architect Terzo de Terzi, who designed a majestic building made of 5 connected towers, wide porticos, inner courtyards and great rooms. Some of the most important artists in Ferrara decorated this building: Girolamo da Carpi and Benvenuto Tisi da Garofalo, Battista Dossi and Bastianino. The paintings were destroyed in the terrible fire of 1808. In 1862 the Municipality of Copparo bought the villa and in 1875 it was restored and transformed into city hall.

The Estense Tower in the back, built with the Delizia between 1540 and 1545, is the only original tower still standing today. This area was once inhabited by migratory game and many wild boars.

The tower was used to watch over the Po river - where many venetian troups came from - and whoever got close enough felt like this was a safe and sumptuous place. The restoration work done between 1982 and 1988, by architects Alessandri and Zappaterra, noticed some historically relevant aspects, like the main access facing the Po river.
Today, in the Estense Tower there is the City Library.