Castles of the Duchy

Castello di Torrechiara
Castello di Vigoleno

The Associazione dei Castelli del Ducato di Parma, Piacenza e Pontremoli, also known as Castelli del Ducato, is a consortium that brings together numerous castles and historical sites in the provinces of Parma, Piacenza, Massa-Carrara, Reggio Emilia, and Cremona.[1]

History

The Associazione dei Castelli del Ducato di Parma e Piacenza was established on 27 May 1999. At its inception, the association, which enjoyed the patronage of the provinces of Parma and Piacenza, included 14 founding castles, along with some supporting members.[2] Some of the castles joining the new association came from the Castelli della Bassa Parmense circuit, established in 1996, and the Associazione dei Castelli Aperti di Piacenza, founded in 1998.[2]

Since the association’s establishment, the number of associated castles and annual visitors has grown steadily: in 2000, annual admissions were around 300,000, rising to over 500,000 in 2003[3]; regarding the number of members, in 2004, there were 19 associated castles (11 in the province of Parma and 8 in the province of Piacenza).[3]

Starting from 1 January 2018, following an agreement formalized in November 2017, the municipality of Pontremoli, home to the Castello del Piagnaro, located in the province of Massa-Carrara but bordering the province of Parma, joined the circuit, which consequently changed its name to Associazione dei Castelli del Ducato di Parma, Piacenza e Pontremoli.[4]

Between 2019 and 2022, several castles and palaces in the province of Reggio Emilia joined the association, including the Rocca dei Boiardo in Scandiano,[5] the Torre di Rossenella in Canossa,[6] the Ducal Palace in Guastalla,[7] and the historic village and rocchetta of Castellarano.[8]

In November 2019, Villa Medici del Vascello, a noble building located in the municipality of San Giovanni in Croce in the province of Cremona, joined the association, becoming the first Cremonese structure to be part of the circuit.[9] In January 2022, the second Cremonese member joined the association, the municipality of Casalmaggiore, with its Bijou Museum.[10]

In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, the annual number of visitors to the castles in the circuit was approximately 600,000.[11]

About

The association, headquartered at the Rocca Sanvitale in Fontanellato, in the province of Parma,[3] is a thematic product club recognized by the Emilia-Romagna region, comprising legal and physical persons who own, or have the right to manage, a castle within the association’s territory that is open to the public, in good condition, and of significant artistic and historical value.[2] Alongside ordinary members, there are supporting members who, while sharing the association’s goals, do not meet the requirements to be ordinary members; they do not have voting rights or the ability to hold office and may include public entities, restaurants, and accommodation facilities.[2]

The circuit aims to achieve two objectives: the promotion and enhancement of the territory, its historical events, art, and gastronomy, and the provision of technical, administrative, and bureaucratic assistance to members to improve the quality of services offered to the public.[2] Additionally, the circuit works to create synergies in promoting the various associated castles and the territory, to increase the average stay of tourist flows by offering proposals involving the entire circuit rather than individual buildings, and to destagger tourist flows by integrating castles with other forms of tourism such as gastronomy, cycling, art cities, and wellness.[2]

Castles

Castles of Parma

Castle Location Image
Antica Corte Pallavicina di Polesine Parmense[1] Polesine Parmense
Castello di Compiano[1] Compiano
Castello di Montechiarugolo[1] Montechiarugolo
Castello di Roccabianca[1] Roccabianca
Castello di Scipione[1] Salsomaggiore Terme
Tabiano Castle[1] Salsomaggiore Terme
Castello di Torrechiara[1] Torrechiara
Castello di Varano de' Melegari[1] Varano de' Melegari
Castello di Bardi[1] Bardi
Reggia di Colorno[1] Colorno
Rocca dei Rossi[1] San Secondo Parmense
Rocca Sanvitale[1] Sala Baganza
Rocca Meli Lupi[1] Soragna
Rocca Sanvitale[1] Fontanellato

Castles of Piacenza

Castle Location Image
Agazzano Castle[12] Agazzano
Castello di Gropparello[12] Gropparello
Castello di Paderna[12] Pontenure
Castello di Rivalta[12] Gazzola
Castello di San Pietro in Cerro[12] San Pietro in Cerro
Castello Malaspina dal Verme di Bobbio[12] Bobbio
Castello di Vigoleno[12] Vigoleno
Palazzo Farnese and Cittadella Viscontea di Piacenza[12] Piacenza
Rocca d'Olgisio[12] Pianello Val Tidone
Visconti Rocca[12] Castell'Arquato

Castles of Massa Carrara

Castle Location Image
Castello del Piagnaro[12] Pontremoli

Other locations

Location Location Image
Fontevivo Abbey[12] Fontevivo
Apotheosis of Galeotti[12] Sala Baganza
Camera di San Paolo and Correggio[12] Parma
Castell'Arquato[12] Castell'Arquato
Castello di Castelnuovo Fogliani[12] Castelnuovo Fogliani
Castello di Contignaco[12] Salsomaggiore Terme
Rocca dei Sanvitale (Noceto)[12] Noceto
Castello di Riva[12] Ponte dell'Olio
Compiano[12] Compiano
Corniglio[12] Corniglio
Dallara Academy[12] Varano de' Melegari
Fontanellato[12] Fontanellato
Guastalla[12] Guastalla
Giuseppe Verdi sites[12] Birthplace of Giuseppe Verdi Roncole Verdi
Church of San Michele Arcangelo Roncole Verdi
Rocca Pallavicino Busseto
Collegiata di San Bartolomeo Apostolo Busseto
Oratory of the Santissima Trinità Busseto
Palazzo del Monte di Pietà (Busseto) Busseto
Santa Maria degli Angeli Busseto
Casa Barezzi Busseto
Palazzo Orlandi Busseto
Labirinto della Masone by Franco Maria Ricci in Fontanellato[12] Fontanellato
Monchio delle Corti[12] Monchio delle Corti
Montechiarugolo[12] Church of San Quintino Montechiarugolo
Civic Palace Montechiarugolo
Sanctuary of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice Montechiarugolo
Church of Santo Stefano (Montechiarugolo) Basilicagoiano
Church of San Donnino Monticelli Terme
Oratorio del Romito Montechiarugolo
Museo Agorà Orsi Coppini[12] San Secondo Parmense
Museo costantiniano della Steccata[12] Parma
Jewish Museum Fausto Levi[12] Soragna
Palazzo Marchi[12] Parma
Polesine Zibello[12] Museum "Il cinematografo" Zibello
Teatro Pallavicino Zibello
Museum of Peasant Civilization "Giuseppe Riccardi" Zibello
Ponte dell'Olio[12] Ponte dell'Olio
Rocca dei Terzi[12] Sissa
Rocca di Valle di Castrignano[12] Valle di Castrignano
Roccabianca[12] Roccabianca
Salsomaggiore Terme[12] Salsomaggiore Terme
Soragna[12] Soragna
On the Via Francigena along the history of Borgo San Donnino[12] Fidenza Cathedral Fidenza

Reggio Emilia

Castle Location Image
Borgo and Rocchetta of Castellarano[13] Castellarano
Castello di Bianello[13] Quattro Castella
Correggio[13] Correggio
Ducal Palace of Guastalla[13] Guastalla

Cremona

Location Location Image
Casalmaggiore[13] Casalmaggiore
Historic Cremonese residences[13] Palazzo Calciati Crotti Cremona
Palazzo Cattaneo Ala Imperiali Cremona
Villa Calciati Crotti Persico Dosimo
Castello Mina della Scala Casteldidone
Villa Sommi Picenardi Torre de' Picenardi
Villa Bottini La Limonaia Monasterolo di Robecco d'Oglio
Villa Manna Roncadelli Vaghi Grumone di Corte de' Frati
Palazzo Zurla De Poli Crema
Palazzo Terni de' Gregorj Crema

Mantova

Castle Location Image
Sabbioneta UNESCO World Heritage city[13] Sabbioneta

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "I Castelli del Ducato di Parma, Piacenza e Pontremoli" [The Castles of the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza, and Pontremoli] (in Italian). castellidelducato.it. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Stefano Soglia. "Nomadi del tempo: dal turismo postmoderno ai castelli del Ducato di Parma e Piacenza" [Nomads of Time: From Postmodern Tourism to the Castles of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza] (in Italian). Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Castelli del Ducato di Parma e Piacenza" [Castles of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza] (in Italian). Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  4. ^ "Pontremoli entra nel circuito dei Castelli del Ducato" [Pontremoli Joins the Castelli del Ducato Circuit] (in Italian). 24 November 2017. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  5. ^ "La Rocca dei Boiardo nei castelli del Ducato" [The Rocca dei Boiardo in the Castelli del Ducato]. Il Resto del Carlino (in Italian). 26 March 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  6. ^ Andrea Manessi (18 July 2019). "Torre di Rossenella nel Comune di Canossa entra sul website Castelli del Ducato" [Torre di Rossenella in the Municipality of Canossa Joins the Castelli del Ducato Website] (in Italian). Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Dopo 207 anni Guastalla entra nel circuito dei Castelli e rinasce "turisticamente" il Ducato di Parma" [After 207 Years, Guastalla Joins the Castelli Circuit and the Duchy of Parma is “Touristically” Reborn] (in Italian). 15 January 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Castellarano entra nel circuito "Castelli del Ducato"" [Castellarano Joins the “Castelli del Ducato” Circuit] (in Italian). 10 March 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Villa Medici del Vascello entra nel portale dei Castelli del Ducato" [Villa Medici del Vascello Joins the Castelli del Ducato Portal]. La Repubblica (in Italian). 31 October 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  10. ^ "2022: Casalmaggiore entra sul website Castelli del Ducato con museo Bijou" [2022: Casalmaggiore Joins the Castelli del Ducato Website with the Bijou Museum] (in Italian). Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Effetto covid sui Castelli del Ducato, nel 2020 ingressi diminuiti fino al 90%" [COVID Effect on Castelli del Ducato, 2020 Admissions Down by Up to 90%]. PiacenzaSera (in Italian). 5 January 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an "I Castelli del Ducato di Parma, Piacenza e Pontremoli" [The Castles of the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza, and Pontremoli] (in Italian). castellidelducato.it. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g "I Castelli del Ducato di Parma, Piacenza e Pontremoli" [The Castles of the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza, and Pontremoli] (in Italian). castellidelducato.it. Retrieved 30 April 2025.

Bibliography

  • Il ducato di Parma, Piacenza e Guastalla [The Duchy of Parma, Piacenza, and Guastalla] (in Italian). Piacenza: Itinerari, servizio stampa editore. 2000.
  • Carmen Artocchini (1967). Castelli piacentini [Piacenza Castles] (in Italian). Piacenza: Edizioni TEP.
  • Andrea Corna (1913). Castelli e rocche del Piacentino [Castles and Fortresses of the Piacenza Area] (in Italian). Piacenza: Unione Tip. Piacentina.
  • Daniela Guerrieri (2006). Castelli del Ducato di Parma e Piacenza [Castles of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza] (in Italian). NLF.
  • Alessandra Mordacci (2009). Castelli del Parmense [Castles of the Parma Area] (in Italian). Parma: Gazzetta di Parma.

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