Delizia Estense, building in Copparo, Italy

The Delizia Estense in Copparo is a palace rebuilt between 1540 and 1547 by architect Terzo dé Terzi for Ercole II d'Este, with four corner towers and large frescoed halls. After a fire in 1808 and partial demolition, its remains were incorporated in 1872 into the town hall, which still occupies the site.

The Delizia di Copparo was a turreted castle frequented by Niccolò III and Borso d'Este with their courts; under Leonello d'Este, Nicolò Panizzati painted frescoes that are now lost. The Venetians sacked and badly damaged it in 1482, and Ercole II had Terzo dé Terzi rebuild it between 1540 and 1547 as a palace with four corner towers and halls frescoed by Benvenuto Tisi da Garofalo and Girolamo da Carpi. A fire damaged it in 1808 and it was partly demolished; in 1872 its remains were incorporated into the new town hall.

The palace shows how the Este family valued art and grand living spaces for their court. Visitors today can trace the artistic decorations on the walls and sense how this building once hosted nobles and their gatherings.

The building is located in the town center of Copparo and is easily accessible on foot. Visitors can admire the exterior and structure, with the old craftsmanship of the stonework and arches clearly visible.

The four corner towers of the 1540s palace by Terzo dé Terzi survive inside the 1872 town hall, which was built around the fire-damaged remains rather than replacing them. Look for the towers embedded in the municipal building's mass.