MUSEUM
House of Ludovico Ariosto
To be seen because...
This is the last home in which the famous poet Ludovico Ariosto lived. Here he completed the last and final draft of L'Orlando Furioso.
You will discover original objects from the poet's everyday life
Walking in you will be greeted by an intimate garden where, if you are lucky, you can find interesting concerts and events
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House of Ludovico Ariosto
The house of Ludovico Ariosto was the residence of the famous poet in the last part of his life. It is located at 67 Via Ariosto, a short distance from the famous Palazzo dei Diamanti and the Quadrivio degli Angeli. The house, probably designed by Girolamo da Carpi in the 16th century, has a simple but elegant facade of exposed brick. The house overlooks a wonderful garden currently used for concerts, exhibitions and other temporary events.
House of Ludovico Ariosto - Historical Notes
After three years spent as a governor in Garfagnana, at the age of 52, the poet felt the need to retire to a reassuring domestic environment and so, in 1526, he concluded the purchase of this house and the land then extended as far as the nearby church of San Benedetto, which he transformed into a private garden and vegetable patch. He then moved here in 1529, together with his son Virginio and his beloved Alessandra Benucci, and resided in the house until his death in 1533.
House of Ludovico Ariosto - The Visit
As soon as you cross the threshold of the entrance you will find yourself enveloped in a cosy and welcoming space, often the site of temporary exhibitions. Going up to the second floor, the visitor can walk through the rooms of Ariosto’s residence. His presence still accompanies you thanks to objects from his daily life and other references to his figure.
The city headquarters of the Giorgio Bassani Foundation are also housed here since 2018. This organisation is dedicated to the life and works of the famous Ferrara writer of the same name, who considered Ariosto one of his inspirations. Visitors can discover Bassani's faithfully reconstructed Roman studio, his 4000-volumes-strong library as well as letters, archives, photographs and other works of art.
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A QUIET PLACE. The need to retire to a quiet place with his family, which led Ariosto to purchase this dwelling, is expressed in the allusive verses of the VII Satira: “Se perché amo sì il nido mi dimandi,/ io non te lo dirò più volentieri/ ch'io soglia al frate i falli miei nefandi”. Which translates to: “If you ask me why I like this nest so much, I will tell you even more gladly than I confess my sins”. An inscription on the façade of 67 Ariosto Street also gives away clearly the poet's thoughts on the matter: "Parva sed apta mihi, sed nulli obnoxia sed non sordida, parta meo sed tamen aere domus". That is “The house is small but suitable for me, clean, unencumbered by fees and purchased only with my own money”.
BASSANI AND HIS LOVE FOR ARIOSTO. Bassani was a great admirer and connoisseur of Ariosto's work, so much so that he dedicated a 1950 short story entitled Ludovico Ariosto e Alessandra Benucci to the author of L’Orlando Furioso. A writing with solid and decisive features, dedicated to the love story and secret marriage between the poet and a noblewoman from Ferrara.