Palazzo Fontanelli Sacrati is located at Via Emilia San Pietro, 27, in Reggio Emilia.
Historical Notes
The origins of Palazzo Fontanelli Sacrati date back to the late 15th century, a period of great urban transformation for Reggio Emilia. In 1492, the brothers Giovanni, Andrea, and Jacopo Fontanelli, members of one of the city’s most prominent families, decided to unify and reorganize the properties they owned along Via Emilia San Pietro, incorporating pre-existing buildings purchased in 1451 by the Da Correggio family. This operation reflected the taste and custom of the time, when noble families sought to give monumental form to their prestige through the creation of coherent and spectacular residences, capable of affirming their dynastic and social identity.
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The Fontanelli house, which changed owners and purposes several times over the centuries, has also entered the legendary tradition of Reggio Emilia. According to local lore, Lucrezia Borgia stayed in the palace during some of her trips to Reggio, an event that contributed to the building aura of Renaissance charm and is still remembered on the palace’s official website.
Over time, the building underwent modifications and expansions, until, between 1928 and 1929, it underwent extensive restoration and restoration. This work, conducted according to the aesthetic criteria of the time, aimed to recover the original Renaissance image, but ended up partially altering the building’s authentic appearance. The facade and central courtyard were redesigned, while the original window ornaments were removed and placed in the portico, where they are still visible today as evidence of the building’s earliest phases.
The palace, despite having passed through different eras and functions, still retains its original layout and the memory of its historical stratifications, representing a significant example of an Emilian noble residence between the late Gothic and Renaissance periods.
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Architecture
The current façade is the result of 20th-century renovations; in the internal courtyard, Renaissance columns are re-adjacent to the left side and a crenellated wall painted with the coats of arms of Reggio Emilia families associated with the Fontanelli family.
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The building features a blend of late Gothic and Renaissance elements. The portico is distinguished by columns with foliate capitals and Gothic-style corbels, while the main floor features mullioned windows and a more classicist portal, decorated with motifs alluding to ancient celebrations of arms.
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Interior
The complex originally developed around three courtyards and incorporated the current Casa Borzagni-Cremonesi, recognizable by its 16th-century Ionic capitals.
Leggi tutto In the main courtyard, stand out the ancient wellhead made of Verona marble; the lantern and wrought-iron gate by Reggio Emilia artist Giuseppe Bagni; and a coffered loggia with a halved upper section. Inside, the main staircase features a ceiling decorated with a 19th-century painting depicting “Aurora on the Chariot,” with cherubs and vegetal scrolls. Riduci
Under the portico, the original stone ornaments from the façade are now on display, testifying to the building’s historical phases and serving as public features.