Ducal Palace of Modena
Palazzo Ducale
A Baroque palace built by the Dukes of Este from the 17th century. It now houses Italy’s military academy, and its interior is open for guided tours only on weekends.
The Ducal Palace was built starting in 1634, after the Este family moved their capital to Modena. It is a grand Baroque palace, among the largest of its kind among Italian ducal palaces. Since the 19th century, it has served as a military academy and is closed to the public on weekdays. On weekends and public holidays, guided tours by reservation take visitors through the Hall of Honor, the Golden Salon, and the academy’s historical collections. In front of the palace, Piazza Roma has a ground-level water feature and is especially beautiful at night. Even if you don’t go inside, it is worth walking past.
Opening hours
Exterior open all day; interior weekend tours (reservation required)
Nearby sights
- Teatro Comunale Luciano Pavarotti
- Ghirlandina Tower
- Modena Cathedral & Piazza Grande
- Palazzo Comunale, Modena
- Mercato Albinelli
- Galleria Estense (Palazzo dei Musei)
- Osteria Francescana
- Enzo Ferrari Museum, Modena