Mesola between Castello Estense and Gran Bosco
Accommodation in Mesola
Mesola combines historic buildings, forest and wetland landscapes, and routes to a variety of destinations. Here, cultural history, water management, and natural history come together: Castello Estense, Torre Abate, and Gran Bosco della Mesola each focus on a different aspect. Several paths and circular routes add a practical perspective on the landscape to these themes.
File:Mesola - Castello Estense nell'ora blu.jpg
Photo: Vanni Lazzari via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Castello Estense di Mesola
Castello Estense di Mesola was built between 1578 and 1584 and is considered one of the Po Delta’s significant historic and cultural buildings. The first floor houses the permanent exhibition “In lode della Mesola”; the second floor features an exhibition about the Mesola forest and the Mesola fallow deer.
The Museo del Bosco e del Cervo della Mesola is also located on the second floor. Using cartographic documents, it explains the development of the Mesola area, displays copies of herbarium sheets collected by Filippo De Pisis, and documents traces of the Mesola deer in the history and culture of the Ferrara area. In this way, the museum brings together the forest, wildlife, and regional development under one roof.
Mesola’s tourist information office (I.A.T.) is also located in Castello Estense di Mesola. This local point of contact is therefore situated in the historic building, making it convenient for finding your way around the area.
Forest, Deer, and Wetlands
Gran Bosco della Mesola, also known as Boscone, covers 1,058 hectares and is the largest forest area in the Ferrara region. Bosco della Mesola has been a nature reserve since 1977 and is home to an indigenous deer population. The forest is therefore also the actual landscape setting for the deer-related themes presented in the castle.
Nearby is Taglio della Falce, a 200-hectare wetland on the southern edge of Bosco della Mesola. Also nearby, Bosco S. Giustina can be reached on foot or by bicycle via broad paths through the forest. Taglio della Falce and Bosco S. Giustina thus complement the forest landscape with a wetland and an accessible woodland featuring broad paths.
Historic Routes and Excursions
The hydraulic structure Torre Abate was built around 1580 as part of the “Grande Impresa di Bonifica” project initiated by the Este family; the upper section was rebuilt in 1650.
A route from the center of Mesola leads to Castello Estense, Torre Abate, and the nearby Bosco della Fasanara. Starting in the town center, it connects historic destinations with a forest area.
The “Pedalando tra la Storia” circular route starts at Bosco della Mesola, leads to Castello della Mesola with its museum, and continues to Abbazia di Pomposa before returning. The approximately 25-kilometer birdwatching route along the Po di Goro starts at the visitor center of Castello della Mesola.
The different starting points—the center of Mesola, Bosco della Mesola, and the visitor center of Castello della Mesola—give you several options for planning your excursion. The approximate length of the birdwatching route also helps you assess the scope of this landscape experience.
Other places: Formignana, Ostellato, Settepolesini, Lido Degli Estensi, Runco, Macchiavella, Poggio Renatico, Chiesa Nuova
To the higher-level travel overview: Ferrara.
