Castello Lambertini, Poggio Renatico

Lambertini Castle is located in Poggio Renatico, in the province of Ferrara. It was built in the Middle Ages by the Guastavillani family as a defensive structure, later becoming the property of the Lambertini family in the 15th century. Over the years the ancient building has undergone numerous transformations and reconstructions: in 1475 with Egano Lambertini and especially in the 1600s, the structure was transformed into a noble palace, losing its rigid character as a military fortress. Another important reconstruction was in 1660, when the castle became the temporary residence of Queen Christina of Sweden. In the original plan the castle consisted of several buildings, which with the passage of time were grouped into a single construction.

In 1822 the castle became the property of the community of "Pogio et Uniti" after the extinction of the male branch of the Lambertini dynasty, and in 1887, after other partial reconstructions, it underwent the decisive restoration by engineer Ruggero Carini, who completely redesigned its architectural style and transformed it into a neo-Gothic castle-palace, leaving only vague traces of the medieval and Renaissance appearance it had maintained until then.

The castle was home to the Poggio Renatico Municipality as well as other services, such as the public library and polyclinic, until the May 20, 2012 earthquake that destroyed the imposing clock tower and damaged the entire structure.