In the footsteps of Giorgio Bassani, at Ariosto's house

In the heart of Ferrara, at number 67 Via Ariosto, stands the home of Ludovico Ariosto, an elegant and discreet dwelling with its red brick façade typical of Ferrara Renaissance architecture. Despite its modest size, this place represents one of the last refuges of the great poet, who described his home as ‘adapta mihi’ - adapted to me - a perfect place to devote himself to his literary works, including the third draft of Orlando Furioso. Here, immersed in peace and simplicity, Ariosto also found refuge in his small garden.
Today, these same walls house the memory of another giant of Ferrara literature, Giorgio Bassani. His relationship with Ferrara was complex, a tormented bond that can still be felt today: the small plaque of the Giorgio Bassani Foundation, however, indicates that here past and present meet, and the great writer's story is preserved and told.

A journey into the memory of Giorgio Bassani

The Giorgio Bassani Foundation, located inside Ariosto's house, is today a place dedicated to the preservation of the works and life of the writer from Ferrara. Thanks to the efforts of the Foundation's scientific committee members, visitors can explore the rooms that hold documents, books and memorabilia that marked Bassani's life. Each corner tells a story: from the books Bassani published as editor to the volumes that accompanied his life, up to the most recent studies dedicated to his work.
The rooms reconstruct the environment in which Bassani lived and worked, immersing visitors in an atmosphere full of memories: it will be easy to imagine the writer intent on writing on his Olivetti, under the watchful eye of the portrait of his grandfather, Cesare Minerbi.

The story of a life between literature and struggle

Giorgio Bassani, born and raised in Ferrara, experienced dramatic moments during the Second World War. Imprisoned for anti-fascism in the former prison in Via Piangipane, Bassani fled to Rome in 1943, forced to live in hiding with his wife Valeria Senigallia. Despite everything, the bond with his hometown was never completely broken. Ferrara, with its places and characters, remained at the centre of his literary production, as evidenced by his masterpiece The Garden of the Finzi-Contini.
His return to Ferrara was not always well received, however. The publication of The Garden of the Finzi-Contini aroused controversy, and the city he had loved so much did not always return his affection. But the value of his testimony remains alive thanks to the commitment of those who, like the Foundation dedicated to him, continue to tell his story and his literary legacy.

Un dialogo tra passato e presente

Visiting the Giorgio Bassani Foundation means immersing oneself in a continuous dialogue between past and present. Here, among documents and memories, one discovers the value of a literary work that has spanned the decades, remaining a fundamental testimony to Italian history and the drama of the Shoah. As Bassani himself said: ‘I am a poet... And for what reason do poets write if not to return to the world?

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