Saint George's Basilica, Renaissance basilica in Ferrara, Italy

Saint George's Basilica is a former cathedral and current Benedictine abbey church in Renaissance style, standing in Ferrara in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. Its stone facade carries a large bas-relief of Saint George above the main portal, and the interior holds paintings, sculptures, and tombs from several centuries.

Between the 7th and 8th centuries, as barbarian invasions devastated Voghenza, the bishop's seat moved to Borgo San Giorgio on the Po, the first inhabited settlement of Ferrara. The church became the city's first cathedral until the see was transferred in 1135 to the new cathedral in the city centre. Biagio Rossetti rebuilt it entirely in the 15th century; Alberto Schiatti remodelled it from 1581, and Andrea Ferreri added the facade in 1722.

The name of the church comes from Saint George, and a carved stone relief showing his fight against a dragon appears directly above the main entrance. This image is the first thing visitors notice and sets the tone for the whole building.

The basilica stands just outside Ferrara's historic center and can be reached on foot from the old city in a short walk. As the building is still an active abbey church, wearing modest clothing is a good idea before visiting.

A stone plaque on the bell tower, built in 1485 by Biagio Rossetti with abundant use of terracotta, commemorates the Peace of Bagnolo of 1484, which ended the War of Ferrara of 1482-1484. The tower's crowning was left unfinished: a truncated cone flanked by four smaller square-plan spires.