In front of us is the gatehouse. These walls and towers have resisted countless battles, rams, catapults and red-hot darts. The garrison showed itself to be perfectly capable of defending it, with arrows and javelins hurled from crenels and battlements and pitch and boiling oil thrown from the slits. The drawbridges performed their function particularly well, stopping enemies and welcoming friends. The castle is bursting with memories of the past – recollections of enterprises and peace agreements to bloody battles waged, echo through the solid walls. But do not fear, come on in: there are still many things you should know.

Here is the entrance porch, where the solid base upon which my castle rests appears in all its glory. Perhaps this is the secret of its strength: a rock of volcanic origin with a remarkable green lustre that creates a walled unity envied by many other castles. The whole creates an almost natural vault where the land and man’s engineering fused to create the heart and spirit of my castle. Let us pass below the neo-gothic arch, a clear symbol of an architectural style more typical of beyond the Alps than Italy. Do not be afraid, the barriers will not fall on your head unless I give the order: they are reserved for those who arrive at the castle with sinister intentions …

This is the central bailey, the most evocative place from which you can appreciate all the defensive logistics of the fortress. It is characterised by an irregular shape, reflecting clearly the rocky spur on which it rests. Above us, the keep and the towers rise up to the sky, inviting us to continue through the large square in front of the entrance. Now, my friend, you will feel tired. There are so many things still to see and you will be curious to discover so many secrets, but now it’s time to eat and sleep and you may continue tomorrow.

 

Presentation by the guide

After various years of historic and political silence, finally the castle has returned to life.

Writing a guide was the first step in combining in a single document all the information on this small jewel of medieval defensive architecture, while opening a window to the unknown political panorama of the Dukedom of Parma and Piacenza.

The guide also presented an opportunity to show photographic images that would have lost much of their fascination if reduced to the dimensions of a normal postcard: the medieval halls, architectural foreshortening and craggy landscape are shown in their whole, highlighting the pleasant memories of the visitor and nourishing the fantasy of those who still have not visited the castle and its millenary park.

The guide has been written by the current proprietor and illustrates the castle from an historic, artistic and architectural point of view.

The various sections are supported by large photographic illustrations.