Palazzo Ducale, Baroque palace museum in Sassuolo, Italy
Palazzo Ducale is a Baroque palace built by Bartolomeo Avanzini from 1634 on the foundations of a quadrangular castle, incorporating parts of it. It has an irregular quadrilateral plan around a central courtyard, with a three-arched portico and clock on the south-east facade and a three-order garden facade. Inside, a two-ramp staircase leads to the Galleria di Bacco, frescoed by Jean Boulanger and Giovanni Giacomo Monti.
The building came into being when Francesco I d'Este converted a medieval fortress into a summer residence in 1634, commissioning architect Bartolomeo Avanzini for the transformation. This renovation made it a significant seat of the Este family in northern Italy.
The palace displays works by French and Bolognese artists that tell the story of the Este family and reflect their passion for art collecting. These paintings remain on the walls today, showing how the rulers lived and what they valued.
The palace stands at Piazzale della Rosa, with the main south-east front facing the square and the garden front looking onto the park. The monumental two-ramp staircase leads from the courtyard to the first-floor apartments and the Galleria di Bacco. The 2025 restoration returned the south facade to its original 18th-century colours; work on the parterre and historic gardens was planned next.
The palace's Peschiera, a large rectangular pool ringed by a wall shaped like a ruined amphitheatre, earned the nickname "Fontanazzo" (Rough Fountain). Avanzini and Gaspare Vigarani designed it; larger-than-life fountain sculptures follow designs by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The palace drew 22,219 visitors in 2023.
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