PALAZZINA DEI GIARDINI

Since 1983, the Galleria Civica has made use of another prestigious exhibition venue, now known around the world: the Palazzina dei Giardini. Build in the 17^{th century, commissioned by Francesco I d’Este as a summer house – a place of entertainment for the d’Este court – within the gardens of the Palazzo Ducale, and then donated the following century along with the park to the townspeople, it fell into disuse over the years, to the point that in the 20th century it was used only as a hothouse and tool shed. As may be seen from the documents of the day, as far back as the second half of the 16th century there was already a little garden here near the 14th-century castle, the Modenese residence of the d’Este family, dukes of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio.}

In 1598, after the devolution of Ferrara to the Holy See and the following transferral of the d’Este capital to Modena, Duke Cesare called for the enlargement and embellishment of the garden, while his successors undertook a further extension of the garden areas, designing them also from a scenic point of view for dances and performances.

In 1739 Francesco III bequeathed the gardens to the town, declaring them to be of public property. As part of the general expansion process, both the exterior and interiors of the Palazzina – then hosting dances and musical performances – were refurbished to take on a typically 18th-century conformation. The side wings were extended and joined to the central pavilion with a terrazzo roof, which could be accessed via curved staircases at the two ends of the building; the facade was decorated with the creation of recesses at the sides of the windows featuring busts of Roman emperors, while a later intervention, apparently dated to 1790, led to the addition of the two triangular tympana. In the interim, 1772 to be precise, the garden area previously occupied by a knoll became home to the University Botanical Gardens, which throughout the 19th century continued to expand and encroach on the other gardens.

After the unification of Italy, the garden became property of the Royal Household, and so in 1865 it was then formally purchased by Modena City Council. At that time a series of renovation works were also undertaken on the Palazzina: hothouses for exotic plants were built along the sides, the cupola was replastered, while inside the building the vault was decorated in the central room, which was also furnished with tables and sofas for the public.

Yet by 1893 the signs of poor maintenance had begun to become apparent both in the garden –despite the various extensions and improvements – and in the Palazzina itself, which in 1916 was relegated to be used exclusively as a hothouse and tool shed, and in 1923 most of its stuccoes and other decorations were removed.

In 1937, due to its precarious state, the cupola was completely demolished and then rebuilt. After the second world war, a project was undertaken to restore the gardens, which came to a head in the 1960s with the installation of a play park for children, and a small zoo was also built for educational purposes.

Towards the end of the 1970s, as part of a project aimed at enhancing the town centre promoted by the local council, the gardens were restored to their original role as a public park area. The Palazzina was also subjected to a radical overhaul, meant to guarantee its conservation and reappraise its original scenic role. When the restoration was completed in 1981, it was initially used occasionally and then on a permanent basis by the Galleria Civica as an exhibition venue.