The Cathedral of San Giorgio, facing the main square, is one of the great Romanesque-Gothic churches of northern Italy. Its west facade is extraordinary — three tiers of marble arcading and sculpture spanning the 12th to 15th centuries, with a carved Last Judgement over the central portal that rewards close inspection. The loggia of the merchants that runs along the south flank of the cathedral at street level is a distinctive Ferrarese touch: commerce and faith sharing the same wall.
The interior was heavily remodelled in the 18th century and is less remarkable than the exterior, but the cathedral museum, housed in the former church of San Romano opposite, contains the original marble statues from the campanile and two extraordinary organ shutters painted by Cosimo Tura — not to be missed if you have any interest in Italian Renaissance painting.