The Mauriziano - Summer residence of the poet Ludovico Ariosto

Located along the Via Emilia toward Modena, about three kilometers from the center of Reggio Emilia, the Mauriziano is a fifteenth-century villa nestled in greenery, overlooking the banks of the Rodano stream.
This highly charming site is deeply linked to the figure of Ludovico Ariosto, born in 1474, who stayed here for long periods, finding peace and inspiration.
Entrance to the monumental complex is gained through a sixteenth-century terracotta triumphal arch, traditionally attributed to Orazio Malaguzzi, and a long, tree-lined avenue extending over 250 meters leads to the main palace.

The palace and Renaissance architecture

The so-called Palazzo nuovo of the Mauriziano, known in the past as the Casino dell’Ariosto, preserves its sixteenth-century volumetric layout despite significant renovations carried out between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, traceable to the culture of the Emilian Renaissance villa.
The building features a quadrangular plan organized around a central through-salon, which serves as the axis of symmetry for the entire structure and around which the side rooms are distributed.
The east wing houses rooms of great historical and artistic interest: the Camerino dei Poeti (Poets' Room), the Camerino dell’Ariosto (Ariosto's Room), and the Camerino degli Orazi e Curiazi (Horatii and Curiatii Room), all decorated with sixteenth-century frescoes depicting hunting scenes, landscapes, and historical and literary episodes, in perfect harmony with the courtly taste of the era.
The pictorial decorations, commissioned by Orazio Malaguzzi and datable to 1567-1568, are attributed to the school of Nicolò dell’Abate and celebrate the glories of the Malaguzzi family, humanistic culture, and the love of letters.
In the Camerino dei Poeti, accessible via a narrow staircase built into the thickness of the wall, ancient and modern painters and poets are represented on an ideal Parnassus, with lunettes narrating the tale of Griselda and Gualtieri from the Decameron.
The Camerino dell’Ariosto, traditionally identified as the poet's study, features views of the park and the Malaguzzi properties, while the Camerino degli Orazi illustrates heroic deeds and scenes from ancient life, including the combat between the Horatii and Curiatii and the short life of Flaminio Malaguzzi, who died at just fifteen years old.
The Villa's Park, recently restored thanks to the national Ducato Estenseproject, offers well-kept green spaces and a path immersed in history.
The restoration interventions included the maintenance of the entrance arch, the enhancement of the internal rooms, and the possibility of virtual reality guided tours, co-funded by the Tiche Foundation.

The Villa del Mauriziano represents one of the rare examples of preserved Renaissance architecture in Reggio Emilia, combining the artistic richness of the frescoes, the literary value tied to Ariosto, and the refined tradition of Emilian summer villas.
A visit here offers a unique experience across art, literature, and nature, discovering one of the city's historical jewels.