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Galleria Estense & Biblioteca Estense
In the Palazzo del Musei, Off Via EmiliaAbout
The Galleria Estense is noted for its paintings from the Emilian or Bolognese school from the 14th to the 18th centuries. The nucleus of the collection was created by the Este family in the heyday of their duchies in Ferrara and then Modena. Some of the finest work is by Spanish artists, including a miniature triptych by El Greco and a portrait of Francesco I d'Este by Velázquez. Other works are Bernini's bust of Francesco I and paintings by Correggio, Veronese, Tintoretto, Carracci, Reni, and Guercino. One of the greatest libraries in southern Europe, the Biblioteca Estense (tel. 059-222248) contains around 500,000 printed works and 13,000 manuscripts. An assortment of the most interesting volumes is kept under glass for visitors to inspect. Of these, the most celebrated is the 1,200-page Bible of Borso d'Este, bordered with stunning miniatures.
