Towards the Ducal Palaces

Moving towards the duchies of Emilia, the Baroque aesthetic takes on the features of dynastic magnificence. In Modena and Sassuolo, the Palazzi Ducali embody the splendour of the Este family amid monumental staircases and frescoes by Jean Boulanger, while the Gallerie Estensi house the pictorial legacy of Elisabetta Sirani and Guido Reni. Continuing towards Parma, the Baroque becomes theatre in the most literal sense of the term: the Teatro Farnese, built entirely of wood, is still one of the most extraordinary spaces in Europe for its ability to transform architecture into scenic illusion. A short distance away, the Chiesa della Steccata preserves decorations and frescoes in full harmony with 17th-century sensibilities and offers a sacred counterpoint of rare intensity. In Ferrara, the Baroque takes on a more sober tone, but there is no lack of significant examples, such as the interior of the Cathedral of San Giorgio. In nearby Cento, the hometown of Guercino (1591-1666), the Pinacoteca Civica houses the largest number of works by the artist and celebrates his role as a master of the Emilian Baroque. Other stops include Cesena, Faenza, Ravenna and Rimini, among churches, cathedrals and sanctuaries. The itinerary ideally culminates in Piacenza, where the experience becomes vertical: here it is possible to climb to a height of 27 metres to admire Guercino's dome up close and the one bearing Pordenone's signature in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Campagna, or to be enchanted by the Fasti Farnesiani inside the majestic Palazzo Farnese, including a visit to the Duchess's gilded flat and the 17th-century Oratorio S. Cristoforo.