The Palazzo dei Diamanti is a venue belonging to the city of Ferrara where exhibitions of international importance are held, thereby contributing to the city’s reputation as a centre of art and culture.
These exhibitions are organized jointly by Fondazione Ferrara Arte, Gallerie d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Ferrara and the Settore Attività Culturali of the Comune di Ferrara.
Named for the unusual shape of the over 8,500 marble blocks on the façade, Palazzo dei Diamanti is one of the most famous Renaissance buildings in the world. Count Sigismondo d’Este, brother of Duke Ercole I d'Este commissioned the palazzo, choosing Biagio Rossetti as his architect. Construction began in 1493, with the palazzo located in the ideal centre of the so-called "Addizione Erculea", one of the most important and beautiful examples of Renaissance city planning.
The palazzo was acquired by the city of Ferrara in 1832. On the ground floor are living quarters and spaces where the major temporary exhibitions organized by Ferrara Arte and the Gallerie d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Ferrara are held, while the first floor hosts the collections of the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Ferrara.
