Historical story

The most sumptuous (and kitsch) wedding of the Renaissance

Renaissance banquet. The one following the Bentivoglio-d’Este wedding remained memorable

Thanks to the testimony left by the writer Giovanni Sabadino degli Arienti, we know how what went down in history as the most sumptuous wedding of our Renaissance took place.

The wedding in question is the one that took place on the cold day of 29 January 1487 between Annibale Bentivoglio and Lucrezia d’Este , a political union that was to serve to strengthen relations between the two families, as often happened at the time.

The banquet that followed the ceremony remained memorable.

In about seven hours not only 22 courses were offered to the guests, but it all took place within the context of a setting that was to leave the guests speechless.

Piglets, rabbits and birds to be captured came out of castles made of sugar, while the bread covered with a layer of gold, as well as the piglets, meant that this marriage was defined as the most " golden" always.

A tacky after all, but which at the time aroused wonder and amazement.