{"id":83354,"date":"2020-11-03T10:34:15","date_gmt":"2020-11-03T09:34:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelemiliaromagna.it\/?p=83354"},"modified":"2023-09-20T10:35:42","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T09:35:42","slug":"borgia-ring-bicycle-route","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelemiliaromagna.it\/en\/borgia-ring-bicycle-route\/","title":{"rendered":"The Borgia Ring, a bicycle route through the Delizie Estensi of Ferrara"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Borgia Ring<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0isn\u2019t a piece of jewellery to wear on your finger, and it\u2019s not about court gossip either.<\/p>\n

This heritage treasure is a cycle tour in the heartland of Ferrara<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 fertile country liberally strewn with the historic residences of the Dukes of Este, rising like apparitions from the past.<\/p>\n

Known as the Delizie<\/strong><\/a>, these delights are places that \u201cillustrate the influence of Renaissance culture on the natural landscape in an exceptional manner\u201d<\/em>, according to UNESCO. Which is why they \u2013 and the\u00a0city of the Este<\/a>\u00a0itself \u2013 are now\u00a0on the World Heritage list<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Our circular route<\/a>\u00a0through the Ferrara lowlands\u00a0takes in 3 of the\u00a0Delizie Estensi<\/a> <\/strong>that are most closely entwined with the history of the House of Este and Lucrezia Borgia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The route also passes through Consandolo<\/strong>, near another Delizia (no longer in existence) linked to Ercole II d\u2019Este, son of Lucrezia Borgia.<\/p>\n

The route is partly on country roads, partly on unsurfaced tracks, overlapping here and there with the Via Romea Germanica<\/em>\u00a0Roman way<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for a fairly level ride for all the family to enjoy,\u00a0with country views, lovely architecture and Renaissance moods<\/strong>, this is the one for you!<\/p>\n

Delizia di Belriguardo<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Voghiera
Voghiera (FE), Delizia di Belriguardo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Delizia of Belriguardo<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0stands in\u00a0Voghiera<\/a> municipality on the SP274 road, about 9 miles from Ferrara.<\/p>\n

It was the Este court\u2019s summer residence of choice \u2013 indeed, the first aristocratic summer palace in the whole of Europe \u2013 and one of Lucrezia Borgia\u2019s favourite abodes.<\/p>\n

The first section was erected in 1435, and the building is now home to\u00a0Belriguardo Civic Museum<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The collection has 4 main strands: the Archaeology section<\/em><\/strong> with various Etruscan finds; the Renaissance section<\/strong><\/em> in the beautiful Sala della Vigna<\/a><\/em>\u00a0(vine room), named after the vine-laced frescoes adorning the walls by celebrated painters of the day; the Modern Art collection<\/strong><\/em> with numerous works by Giuseppe Virgili, a leading light in the 20th-century Ferrara school.<\/p>\n

Finally, there is the Industrial Archaeology section<\/strong><\/em>, presenting everyday and domestic objects made by Ferrara metalwork companies from the late 19th to the mid 20th centuries.<\/p>\n

Delizia del Verginese<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Portomaggiore
Portomaggiore (FE), Delizia del Verginese<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Delizia del Verginese<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0is near Gambulaga, an outlying hamlet of\u00a0Portomaggiore<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It was a gift from Duke Alfonso I d\u2019Este to his lover, Laura Dianti, after the death of his wife, Lucrezia Borgia.<\/p>\n

Dianti turned what was a simple farm building into a little Renaissance palace: a rectangular two-storey villa with a pair of crenelated towers at each end. Behind, the Renaissance garden with dovecote is agreeable to explore.<\/p>\n

Delizia di Benvignante<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Benvignante
Benvignante (FE), Delizia del Benvignante | Credit: Museo delle Valli<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Delizia di Benvignante<\/a><\/strong> is in the village of the same name, near the town of Argenta.<\/p>\n

It was built in 1464 by Borso d\u2019Este as a gift for his right-hand man, Teofilo Calcagnini.<\/p>\n

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Information and contact details<\/span><\/h3>\n