Palazzo Prosperi-Sacrati, Ferrara, Renaissance palace in Ferrara, Italy.
Palazzo Prosperi-Sacrati is a Renaissance palace in Ferrara, begun in 1493 and completed in 1513–1514. Its most noted feature is the monumental Venetian-style portal on Corso Ercole I d'Este, topped by a white marble balcony supported by putti seated on the entablature. The corner pilaster was remade around 1858 by sculptor Gaetano Davia, who three years later restored the portal.
Begun in 1493 for Francesco da Castello, personal physician to Ercole I d'Este, it was completed in 1513-1514 and is the oldest palace of the Addizione Erculea. Its position fixed the alignment of the district's main axes. Ownership passed through the Da Castello, Giraldi, Sacrati and Prosperi families before the building was ceded to the Italian state; the City of Ferrara has owned it since 1997.
The palazzo gave its name to the Corso Ercole I d'Este frontage and stands at the Quadrivio degli Angeli, the crossroads of the Addizione Erculea. Its monumental Venetian-style portal, with a white marble balcony carried by putti seated on the entablature, was restored by sculptor Gaetano Davia, who also renewed the corner candelabra around 1858. Two bronze reliefs flank the entrance; one shows the bust of Hercules wearing the Nemean lion's skin, a reference to Ercole I d'Este.
The building is visible from the street and located at a busy corner, making it easy to visit while walking through the city. The municipality plans to convert it into a museum for modern and contemporary art, so it may offer exhibitions and programs in the future.
The corner candelabra was remade around 1858 by the Ferrarese sculptor Gaetano Davia, who three years later also restored the monumental portal. The 1944 Anglo-American bombings destroyed further decorative figures, including small genies and monkeys that stood on the balustrade. Two bronze reliefs flank the entrance; one shows the bust of Hercules wearing the Nemean lion's skin, a reference to Ercole I d'Este.
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