DURING THE LATE 15TH CENTURY, the city of Ferrara was undergoing a rapid period of growth. To accommodate this growth, Duke Ercole d’Este decided to demolish the medieval northern walls to enlarge the town.

This later became known as the Erculean Addition, a popular form of Rennassiance urban planning. At the intersection of the two main roads, d’Este appointed court architect, Biagio Rossetti to design a new palace for the noble family.