Ducal Palace of Rivalta

In 1675, the palace became the property of Borso's son, Foresto Franco d’Este (1652-1725), who was lord of Montecchio and marquess of Scandiano.

[2][1] In 1724, he granted the palace to Francesco III d'Este (1698-1780), crown prince and future duke of Modena.

[1] Charlotte Aglaé received an enormous dowry of 1.8 million livres, half of which was contributed in the name of the young king, Louis XV, on orders of the Regent.

[1] From her adopted country, Charlotte Aglaé received a trousseau consisting of diamonds and portraits of her future husband.

[2][1] Inspired by the Palace of Versailles and the nearby palace of Colorno, they started to enlarge the existing villa into a luxurious residence: a main central body with two laterals wings and corner towers, creating a vast quadrangular courtyard, which was open to the west.

[3] The restoration of the south wing was completed in 2023, just as the park including water basins, and the so-called secret garden of Charlotte Aglaé.

[5][6] The latter is a reproduction of a historic 18th century design as depicted in Alfonso Tacoli's old drawing named ‘The Secret Garden of Carlotta d’Orleans’.