Schifanoia
Palazzo Schifanoia is a Renaissance palace in Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna (Italy) built for the Este family. The name "Schifanoia" is thought to originate from "schivar la noia" meaning literally to "escape from boredom". The highlights of its decorations are the allegorical frescoes with details in tempera by or after Francesco del Cossa and Cosmè Tura, executed ca 1469–70, a unique survival of their time.
The centre of the building was erected at the end of the 14th century at Alberto V d'Este's request. It is situated in a green area just outside the medieval walls of the city and is surrounded by peaceful religious buildings; Schifanoia was in fact part of the Delizie d'Este or Este residences. In 1465 Borso d'Este gave the court architect Pietro Benvenuto degli Ordini the task of converting and extending the building.
Around 1471 the Palazzo was an elegant two-storey building with a completely-frescoed facade in polychromatic fake marbles and an imposing marble portal with the Este coat of arms, which in the past had been painted. In the same years the sculpture Domenico di Paris painted the stuccoes in the Sala delle Virtù (hall of virtues), while painters from Ferrara workshop, including Francesco del Cossa, frescoed the main hall with the magnificent Ciclo dei Mesi (cycle of the months), one of the greatest examples of humanistic astrological culture.
In 1493-98 Ercole I appointed Biagio Rossetti to replace the unsafe crenelation with a brickwork cornice and to add new rooms to the building.
