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Internal courtyard, Palazzo Bevilacqua-Costabili
Photo by Cristina Baldi, University Library System

The construction of the palace began in the middle of the 15th century, commissioned by the noble Bevilacqua family, who had moved from Verona to Ferrara at the beginning of the century.

Changes in ownership and intended use made this palace a meeting place between the ancient and modern, with a complex, irregular architectural structure.

The original core of the building continued to be expanded and adapted until the middle of the 19th century: the courtyard with loggia is from the 16th century and the monumental staircase from the 18th century; the 17th century facade is based on Palazzo Bentivoglio in Via Garibaldi, featuring similarly rich sculptural decorations.

In 1833, the palace was purchased by Marquess Giovan Battista Costabili Contarini, who modernised it for his family and made it the home of his precious collections of books and paintings.

But over the course of the century, the Costabili family suffered great financial losses, and the picture gallery and library were sold off and split up; the palace was sold in 1916 , and from then on it changed hands many times, used for different purposes, from a girls' boarding school to a mental institution.

Bought by the Ferrara City Council, in 1997 it was given to theUniversity to use; after careful restoration work and a redesign of the interior, the palace was reopened in 2006 and is now the seat of the Economics and Management Department and the Economics Library.

The palace houses the Economics Library which is the location of the Economics Collection.

Leonhart Fuchs, De historia stirpium commentarii insignes, Basel, Michael Isengrin, 1542 (Recreation of the illustration). Historical Collection of the Literature and Philosophy Library

This location is part of the permanent cultural tour Stories of books and palaces. Tours of the Unife libraries from the University Library System. (Tour guide.pdf)

Cultural events

June 26 - July 19, 2024: exhibition Other Stories of Books and Palaces. New Perspectives on Unife's Cultural Heritage

14-15 October 2023 - FAI Autumn Days. The palace and library were opened up as part of the celebrations for the 25th anniversary of the Economics and Management Department

22-23 October 2022 - Open Monuments: Palazzo Bevilacqua-Costabili

11-12 December 2021 - Open Monuments (online edition): Second Day | Ferrara Open Monuments 2021 | ORLANDO FURIOSO in 20 episodes, Palazzo Bevilacqua-Costabili

Reading room, Economics Library
Archive of the Unife Communications Office

Palazzo Bevilacqua-Costabili
Via Voltapaletto, 11
44121 Ferrara

Accessibility

Consult the map of the ground floor and the first floor and for more information, visit the page for Accessibility of buildings.