Church of San Francesco

The Church of San Francesco is a church dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, located in the homonymous square, in the western part of the historical center of Ferrara.

SHORT HISTORY

The Church of San Francesco was built in 1494 on a pre-existing building belonging to the Franciscans, which was used until the beginning of the 15th century as a mausoleum for the Este family.

The church is considered one of the best creations of the architect Biagio Rossetti.

Following the 2012 earthquake, the interior, with the exception of a transept and an adjacent chapel, was for a long time unusable and closed to the public. Currently, the central nave and the right aisle can be visited, while the left aisle is only partially accesible.

ART AND ARCHITECTURE

The facade has typically Renaissance lines, with the volutes, inspired by Leon Battista Alberti, and the marble pilasters that stand out on the terracotta walls.

The interior of the church, with three naves, has a Latin cross plan and eight chapels on each side.

In the first chapel on the left, there is a remarkable fresco of the Arrest of Jesus by Benvenuto Tisi, better known as Garofalo. In the same chapel, the altar has an ancon carved with Christ in the Getsemani.

In the left transept, there is a precious Roman sarcophagus made in Ravenna, dating back to the 5th century, and in the right transept the mausoleum of Ghiron Francesco Villa, a nobleman from Ferrara. The mausoleum, built in Baroque style, it is adorned with bas-reliefs that recall his achievements as a general.

The triptych behind the main altar depicts the Resurrection, Ascension and Deposition by Domenico Mona.

HOW TO GET THERE

The Church of San Francesco is located about 2 kilometers away from the Ferrara railway station. The closest bus stop is Giovecca Montebello, located about 230 meters away, in Corso della Giovecca, on the bus Lines 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 21, 323, 330 and 331.